


even the best laid plans

by falsegoodnight



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, American College, California, Confident Louis, Dom/sub Undertones, Experienced Harry, Explicit Sexual Content, Idiots in Love, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Omega Louis, Self-Indulgent, Sir Kink, Southern Harry, Virgin Louis, but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:29:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27586118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falsegoodnight/pseuds/falsegoodnight
Summary: “Anyways,” Louis stresses, narrowing his eyes, “just let me say it and then rate how terrible of an idea it is on a scale from one to ten.”“Alright,” Zayn agrees, sitting up expectantly.“I want to ask Harry Styles to take my virginity,” Louis blurts, holding his hands out for emphasis.The way Zayn’s eyes bulge is almost comical. “Negative infinity,” he says, voice choked. “Negative infinity times negative infinity.”“Technically, a negative times a negative is -”“Reallynegative infinity,” Zayn corrects himself, shaking his head wildly. “Louis, what the fuck?”-Or, Louis wants to have sex with someone and decides Harry is the perfect alpha for the job.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 168
Kudos: 1424





	even the best laid plans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cowboyharrystan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cowboyharrystan/gifts).



> To Alex, one of the most talented, funniest, sweetest, loveliest people I've met in this fandom. I'm so lucky to know you and call you a friend! I hope you enjoy this fic as your (really late) birthday present! 
> 
> Thank you [Sarah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldouthaz/pseuds/soldouthaz) and Chelsea for reading this over for me and encouraging me every step of the way. I couldn't have done this without you guys <3
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

-

Louis got the idea at four in the morning. 

He was just laying in bed, hands clasped over his tummy as he stared at the ceiling blankly. He had woken up an hour ago and tried in vain to fall back asleep but it never happened. Instead, his mind wandered and that’s how he ended up coming up with the best (or, arguably worst) idea he’s ever had. 

See, the thing is… Louis is a virgin. 

And that’s not an issue. Virginity is just a social construct or whatever and there’s nothing wrong with waiting for the right person or waiting till marriage or never having sex at all. There’s nothing wrong with any of it. Except… he _wants_ to have sex. 

More specifically, he wants to have a knot in him. 

He’s thought about it way too much - dreamt about it and woken up with sheets soaked with slick and a flush blooming across his body. Has curled a shaking hand around his prick and strained his hand around to his ass to tuck a couple fingers into his leaking hole to get himself off, whimpering as he imagined an alpha doing it for him. 

So he’s definitely thought plenty about having sex, but growing up in a small town in Northern California where he’s grown up with every alpha in his age group and grown a strong repulsion to each and every one of them (except Liam… but still, _ew)_ has meant that he’s never exactly had the urge to get it over with. 

And, well... he’s not stupid. He’s not going to go to a random party as a clueless virgin omega and let some random alpha do the deed, no matter how horny he can get. But now he’s at college, finished one semester of his first year and surrounded by a whole campus of potential prospects. 

But he thinks he’s just found the perfect one. He was just staring at the ceiling where he had stuck some of those glow-in-the-dark stars in patterns of constellations such as the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, Capricorn, Hercules, and Orion. 

He had been looking at the designs and remembering when he was putting them up back in August, days before classes started. Liam had been over, talking about how worried he was to meet his roommate. 

Louis had already met his roommate by then: Zayn Malik, an omega from SoCal and an Art major. 

It turned out Liam needn’t have worried because he and his new roommate ended up being fast mates. He had called Louis the next day, practically _gushing_ about the other alpha. Louis had been cranky then, nervous about his first day and professors and already missing home. But he’d go on to meet the man himself a couple days later when Liam invited him along to go clubbing with them, Zayn, and Niall - a beta that Louis met during orientation. 

His name is Harry Styles and he’s from Texas. Alpha, business major, music minor, and Liam’s roommate. Tall, a peculiarly attractive mix of broad and lanky, a jawline that can cut glass, tends to be chewing gum all the time. He always looks a bit like a stereotypical frat boy - usually dressed in black skinny jeans that leave little of his crotch area to the imagination, old snapbacks worn backwards, and a ridiculous amount of flannels. Louis is pretty sure that’s all he owns, really, which is fine because he always looks _good._

He smells good too - like rosewood and ginger with layers of what Louis guesses is dark chocolate. The barest hint of sweetness among the spice and earthy tones. Louis often has the urge to go up and sniff him, just to confirm that he’s right. Thankfully, he does have some self-control and self-preservation so he manages to refrain. 

All things considered, they get along pretty well. Harry mumbles a hoarse, “Hullo,” to him in his obnoxiously deep voice when Louis goes to his and Liam’s dorm to beg for notes from Biochem. They see each other when their entire friend group hangs out, having a few individual conversations about classes or teaming up to make fun of Liam on more than one occasion. They’re not good friends, but they’re _friendly._

Which leads Louis to his point. 

According to Liam, Harry is a bit of a man-whore. 

He supposedly brings someone back to their dorm multiple times a week… So frequently Liam has now taken to wearing ear plugs to bed (“Not that it helps much,” Liam had said. “The omegas are always _screaming.”)_ and apparently he’s got quite a bit of a reputation. Enough for Louis to overhear two girls during their Bio lab that talk about how good he is in bed. Lizzie slept with him that night before and Addy a couple times in the past month and both of them consider it a life-changing experience. 

Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with being that sexually active as long as it’s safe and consensual, of course. But Harry’s experience and his apparent lack of necessary connection with an omega to sleep with them have got him thinking. 

Even his early morning sluggish mind had figured it’s a terrible idea, but the idea stuck in his brain, slowly winning him over as he thought and thought. And twelve hours and three classes later, he’s still thinking. 

Well, to be fully honest, he’s horny again. It’s a product of his soft heat, he supposes. Even though he takes suppressants to prevent his heats, doesn’t mean any of the side effects (clinginess, fever, and an unabashed, overwhelming urge to be dicked down) aren’t still distinctly present. It’s like an itch buried deep beneath his skin that he doesn’t have the ability to scratch. But he can get someone else to scratch it for him. 

In other words, he wants to ask Harry to scratch it. 

“Zayn,” he says, spinning in his chair to look at the omega sprawled across his twin-sized bed, identical to his except for the spread being red to Louis’ pale blue. His eyes are shut, the slightest hint of irritation flashing across his perfectly carved features when Louis repeats louder, “Zayn!”

“What?” he grumbles, eyes opening. 

“I’m going to tell you something and you have to tell me if it’s a terrible idea,” Louis says seriously. 

“It’s a terrible idea,” Zayn says flatly. 

Louis huffs. “You have no idea what I’m going to say. I could have been saying that I want to donate all my savings to charity.” 

“Well, if you did that you’d have no money for food or school even if it’s for a good cause. So, case in point…” He trails off, raising an arched eyebrow. 

“Anyways,” Louis stresses, narrowing his eyes, “just let me say it and then rate how terrible of an idea it is on a scale from one to ten.”

“Alright,” Zayn agrees, sitting up expectantly. 

“I want to ask Harry Styles to take my virginity,” Louis blurts, holding his hands out for emphasis. 

The way Zayn’s eyes bulge is almost comical. “Negative infinity,” he says, voice choked. “Negative infinity times negative infinity.”

“Technically, a negative times a negative is -”

 _“Really_ negative infinity,” Zayn corrects himself, shaking his head wildly. “Louis, what the fuck?” 

“Why is it that bad?” Louis asks, frowning. 

“You know Styles isn’t into relationships,” Zayn says, raising his eyebrow. 

“Good thing I’m not looking for a relationship from him,” Louis says, amused. Zayn is so clueless sometimes, honestly. “I just want him to take my virginity and fuck me good. Is that too much to ask?” 

“But - he’s a charmer, Louis,” Zayn says slowly.

“And so am I. Your point?” Louis asks, confused. 

Zayn grimaces. “No offense, Lou, but you do tend to get attached to people easily.” At Louis’ raised eyebrow, he defends hastily. “Not that that’s a bad thing… and I mean it’s your _first_ so there’s going to be some attachment.”

“So the better alternative is picking a stranger,” Louis says flatly. “Great, thanks, Zayn. So helpful.”

“Didn’t you say to me once that you just want to lose your virginity when it happens? To let it just come naturally?” Zayn asks. 

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t as horny then and I am now. Really fucking horny.” Louis slumps back in his seat, crossing his arms. “And I dunno if Styles will agree but I might as well ask, right? Or I could try and seduce him - but it’d look shady when he finds out I’ve never done this before so I should probably tell him in advance.” He hums as he considers his options. 

“Basically you’re doing this whether I think it’s a good idea or not,” Zayn says flatly. 

Louis shoots him a brief glance. “Yup.” 

“Great,” Zayn says dryly. “Great talk.” 

“We’re going to meet up Friday at that party, so maybe I can ask him then,” Louis continues, mind whirling. It’s a frat party at Liam’s friend Dave’s fraternity, and though Louis isn’t a fan of them usually, he sometimes tags along. 

Harry, on the other hand, is always present. He’ll be present this Friday, and Louis will be too. The more he thinks about it, the more solid it seems. Harry is nice and charming and according to Addy and Lizzie, he’s got a big cock and “knows how to use it, _Jesus Christ.”_ He’s the perfect candidate for relieving Louis of his desperation. 

“This is a _terrible_ plan,” Zayn mutters, turning onto his side and closing his eyes again. 

“Fight me,” Louis says, spinning around in his chair lazily.

It’s a _great_ plan. 

-

Louis steps into the living room, his drink cool in his hand and eyes scanning through the throng of moving bodies for a specific figure. He doesn't usually drink but today he feels that the liquid courage is particularly beneficial. 

The air feels thick with the haze of alcohol, weed, sweat, and dozens of pheromones mixing together. It seeps into his skin and makes him feel restless. 

It’s one of the reasons he tends to hide out at parties, if he attends at all. But today Louis is an omega on a mission. He continues his search, realizing after a few seconds that the alpha isn’t in here either.

Since he’s already checked the kitchen, hallways, and the front of the house, all that’s left is the backyard. 

Murmuring excuses as he shoves past dancing couples, he stumbles to the back door which is already half open, the screen still torn right down the middle from the last party Louis attended here. 

Blinking slowly, he carefully maneuvers around the mess of broken bottle shards littering the floor and steps out onto the porch. The air is much fresher out here and he breathes deeply, inhaling as much of it as he can. 

It only takes a few seconds and a chorus of laughs for him to locate his target.

His eyes trail over to the side where a group of people are sitting out on the grass, all fixated on the man in the middle. 

Once again, Louis witnesses the way Harry Styles charms a room. He’s sitting dead center in an old lawn chair, legs spread cockily and hands splayed out on his jean-clad knees - one of which carries a drink. His snapback is perched on his head, some curls peeking through where he’s been messing with it. 

The people around him range from fellow alphas, some of whom Louis recognizes from the frat as well as he recognizes the miffed expressions on their faces; some betas that regard Styles with admiring gazes; and of course, plenty of enamored omegas. 

No matter the secondary gender, they all seem utterly captivated by whatever Harry’s saying. Louis can’t really tell from here, can only squint his eyes and watch the way Harry’s mouth opens and closes around certain syllables, the sharp line of his jaw burning into his eyes. 

He says something else and everyone laughs, some more genuine than others, but all of them clearly affected by Harry’s presence. It’s kind of amazing to see, if Louis’ being honest. 

Right then, the nearest omega to Harry leans in and whispers in his ear, placing a hand on his bicep flirtatiously. 

“Hey there,” a voice says, making Louis jump. He turns to see a random alpha standing much too close to him, eyes dark and alcohol thick in his breath. 

Louis wrinkles his nose, shaking his head. “No thanks, dude.” He takes a step to the side pointedly, hoping the man would get a hint and leave him alone. 

Apparently, he does not. All he does is step closer again, breathing harshly as he leans closer. Louis shudders as his rancid breath seeps into his nose, his smell not being much better with “Has anyone told you you’ve got a nice ass?”

“Multiple people have, actually, but not quite as dickishly as you,” Louis says brightly, taking another step back. “Get lost, would you? I’m not interested.”

The man frowns, annoyed at being rejected. “Just tryna have a conversation with ya. Don’t have to be a -“

Whatever derogatory or insulting word that was meant to come next gets cut off with the sound of a throat being cleared.

Louis turns, stunned to see Harry standing behind him, brows furrowed as he regards the drunk alpha. The group he had abandoned peers after him curiously. 

“Everything alright?” he asks, accent slow and thick like it gets when he drinks a little. His eyes flicker over to Louis, brows raising in question.

“Just fine,” Louis says, exhaling in relief. He steps off the porch and starts walking. “I was actually looking for you.”

“And you found me,” Harry grins, sliding up beside him protectively. Louis glances back to see that the other alpha stays swaying in his spot, lips curled into a frown as if he’s unsure what just happened. 

When they’re out of hearing distance, Louis sighs. “Thanks,” he mumbles, leaning up against the fence. 

“No problem,” Harry says, frowning. “You okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” He smiles awkwardly, heart pounding as it finally locks in what he’s trying to do. “So, uh, hi,” he says, internally cringing right after.

“Hi,” Harry says, dimple popping out as his grin grows. His eyes are lined with red but still bright green as ever. “I didn’t know you were coming today. Haven’t seen you much this semester yet, how’ve you been?” 

“Pretty alright,” Louis nods, lips stretching. “My classes are pretty great and I thankfully haven’t had too many assignments yet. How about you?” 

Harry hums. “Mostly the same,” he says. “Still feels like it’s Winter Break though. I haven’t exactly gotten settled into the new semester.”

“Did you go back home for the holidays?” Louis asks. He’s definitely stalling with the small talk but maybe Harry will just think he’s being polite. 

“Yeah, ‘course,” Harry says, his smile switching into something a little softer. “Pretty sure my momma woulda killed me if I didn’t. It snowed a bit this year too so we got a White Christmas. What about you?”

“Considering I live literally fifteen minutes away in Oakland, yeah, I did,” Louis nods, smiling. “Didn’t snow, but it rained a whole lot.” With the drought still lingering on in California, Louis considers that good as gold. 

“That’s good,” Harry says. Then, after a beat,“Were you actually looking for me or was that just an excuse?”

“Actually looking - I have a favor I need to ask you,” Louis admits, fingers feeling clammy around the cup. The confidence he had been feeling all day is dwindling, but he pushes on.

Harry blinks, leaning up against the wood and ducking in closer like some sort of alpha cliche. “Sure, of course.”

“You don’t know what it is yet,” Louis says, half-amused and half-nervous. 

“Well, what is it?” Harry asks, sounding as if it doesn’t make a difference either way. 

Louis takes a deep breath. _Just get it out._ “I need you to take my virginity.”

A pause. Then, “Wait, what?” Harry asks, blinking rapidly. 

“In other words, I want to sleep with you,” Louis explains. When he realizes Harry is still gawking, he sighs. “I know this is really strange - it’s sort of a long story. But you’re a good guy and I, uh, as weird as it sounds I’ve heard good things… about… you know.” He trails off, feeling awkward. 

Harry is still staring at him like he’s out of his mind. 

Huffing, he kicks the ground with the toe of his shoe. “I know this is weird. Just consider it is all I’m asking.” 

“Look,” Harry starts, and he can already tell from the tone in his voice that he’s not going to like where he goes with this. “I know everyone makes it seem like you’re either wrong for being a virgin in college or wrong for not wanting to wait till marriage and that there’s a lot of pressure -”

Louis rolls his eyes. “That’s not why I’m asking, Harry, seriously.” 

“Then _why -”_

“Because I want to have sex,” Louis says firmly. “And preferably with someone that’s not a knothead and will respect me. You fit the criteria.” 

Harry grimaces. “But -”

“I get it if you’re not interested in me like that, but I still thought I’d ask,” Louis says, shrugging. “And you’d get sex out of it, so.” 

“It’s not that I’m not -” Harry breaks off, looking frustrated. “Your first time should be special, Louis,” he continues, furrowing his brows. “It shouldn’t be, like, an _agreement._ It should be better - and with someone special. Not casual and quick.” 

“But I don’t care about all that,” Louis says, rolling his eyes. “I just want to have sex.”

“I can’t - I can’t do that for you,” Harry says, shaking his head. He looks _upset_ and it takes Louis off guard. “I can’t be your casual and quick. Sorry, but you’re going to have to find someone else.”

He pushes off from the fence and walks away before Louis can say another word, his hands shoved into his pockets. 

Louis is left staring after him, completely bewildered. He glances down at his drink and lifts it to his lips, downing a few gulps of beer, feeling it burn a path down his throat. 

Well, that went well.

-

It takes him a while to find Zayn. He had begrudgingly come along with Niall and Louis but the beta is nowhere to be seen when Louis plops down on the settee next to the omega, vision blurring from the drink he just finished. 

“Where’s Ni?” Louis asks, voice coming out a bit slurred. 

“Drinking competition in the kitchen,” Zayn says disinterestedly. “I told him we’re not taking him back if he passes out or pukes, so we’ll see what happens.” 

“So nice,” Louis coos, pinching Zayn’s cheek and ignoring his scowl. 

He loses it a second later, brows raising. “Weren’t you going to go find Styles?” 

Now it’s Louis’ turn to scowl. “Yeah.” 

“And?” Zayn asks. 

“He said no,” Louis huffs, hands bracing his knees. 

Zayn doesn’t look surprised in the slightest. “So are you going to go and find another alpha or stick to the vibrators?” 

“I don’t want another alpha,” Louis says, before he can think it through. 

“You know, this is exactly the attachment thing I was talking about, Lou,” Zayn points out with an arched brow. “You knew this was going to happen.” 

Louis scowls. “It’s not an attachment thing. I don’t mean I want him as _my_ alpha. I just want him to be the first.” It’s a curiosity thing if anything - plenty of heard rumors and stories building up to create this certain heavenly image of what the alpha is like in bed. Either he’s some sort of sex god, or they’re all liars. He wants to know. “Plus, you know me. When I want something, I have to get it.” 

“He said no, though,” Zayn says. “Don’t think that means you’ve got a good chance.” 

“I’m pretty sure he said no because he thinks I’m just doing this because I don’t want to be a virgin anymore,” Louis grumbles, crossing his arms. 

His friend stares at him amusedly. “Well, aren’t you?” 

_“No,”_ Louis pouts. “Okay, _technically._ But not in the way he thinks. I’m not doing this because I’m embarrassed about being a virgin and want to get it over with. He thinks my first time should be special and that he won’t be my ‘casual and quick,' but he doesn’t understand that I don’t _care_ about that,” Louis continues, feeling his annoyance build up. “I want to do it because I want to have sex with a hot alpha who has a big cock.” 

Zayn takes a sip of his drink and instantly chokes. 

“It’s not over yet,” Louis decides, mind already racing. “I’ll show him that this is what I really want and then he’ll fuck me.” 

“This is a dumb idea,” Zayn says, but they both know Louis is going to do it no matter what he says. He sighs, trying again, “You know _Of Mice and Men_ by John Steinbeck?” 

Louis raises an eyebrow. “I think everyone who’s been through eighth grade in California knows _Of Mice and Men_ by John Steinbeck.” 

“Okay but remember the line from the poem that he used for the title?” Zayn asks, raising an eyebrow. "The one everyone who's been through eighth grade in California has analyzed?" 

It hits Louis a second later and he rolls his eyes. “‘The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.’ _Seriously?”_

“If you won’t listen to me, take it from literature,” Zayn shrugs. 

“The two situations are incomparable,” Louis says, narrowing his eyes. “And don’t you dare say I’m a George or I’ll castrate you.” 

Zayn snorts. “Fine, Lou, do whatever you want. Just don’t be sorry if it all goes wrong.” 

“Great, thanks, Z,” Louis says, then claps his hands together. “Brainstorming time!” Zayn scoffs, truly his most supportive friend. Louis ignores it anyway, pulling out his phone and finding the old note he had already made. There is little Louis does without writing it down and this wasn’t an exception. 

It becomes official in stark black system font, the cursor blinking right beside it. _Operation: Get Fucked_ is the title he had chosen earlier and it still fits aptly. Louis stares at it thoughtfully.

Harry may be charming and dashing, but Louis is coy and witty and clever. He knows how to get under people’s skin - knows how to stick to them until they can’t escape. He’s confident he can stick to Harry too. 

It’s going to be easy peasy. 

-

The thing about Liam and Harry’s room, is that it looks like something out of a gym advert. 

There’s the usual beds and desks, of course, and even a couple green plants sitting on the windowsill, but there’s a rack of weights propped up by the window, yoga mats rolled up by the door, and other random gear and sports equipment littering the floor. 

Technically, omegas aren’t supposed to be in the alpha dorms but the rules have never really been that enforced in their progressive public college. No one stops Louis from entering and heading up to their room, or from banging loudly on the door until Liam opens it with a sigh. 

Now he’s sitting on Liam’s bed as the alpha paces the room, looking annoyed. “What’s your problem?” he asks, amused by the almost-frantic nature of Liam’s gait. 

“Oh, nothing,” Liam scoffs. “Just that this group project is going to be the end of me.” 

Louis slaps his hands over his ears immediately, “Ew, Liam, you know better than to say those words around me.” 

Liam groans. “I’m screwed, Louis.”

Sensing the misery in Liam’s voice, Louis retracts his hands and sighs. “You just gotta yell at them,” he says, shrugging. “I don’t like it either but that’s the only way to get through it, Li. Let out your inner brat.” 

“Pretty sure you’re the only one with an inner brat,” Liam says, rolling his eyes. “But you’re right, I’ve got to get them to actually do shit.” 

“That’s the spirit,” Louis says cheerfully. 

Right on cue, the door swings open and the smell of ginger and rosewood and _dark chocolate_ waft through the air. Harry doesn’t see him at first, hand curling into the front of his tank top before he’s pulling it up and over his head. 

Suddenly the room gets very hot and Louis is frozen in place, eyes glued to the exposed and very prominent lines of definition in Harry’s abdomen and arms. 

“Liam, I just had the _best_ cardio session at the gym. You shoulda come with -” He looks over to them, spots Louis, and immediately stops short. 

Louis swallows. “Hi,” he says, voice scratchy. His inner omega whines and he tamps it down with a shaky smile. 

Harry eyes him suspiciously but says nothing, nodding at both of them in acknowledgment as he bundles his shirt into a ball and heads for the shower. 

The door shuts behind him and Liam immediately turns to Louis. “What did you do to him?” he asks, looking bewildered. 

_“Me?”_ Louis complains. 

“Yeah, you,” Liam says, narrowing his eyes. “He could barely look you in the eye and the tension was palatable.”

“Palpable,” Louis corrects, amused. “And I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“So he didn’t just stop talking and then get out of here as fast as he could after seeing you?” Liam asks flatly. He freezes suddenly, mouth dropping open. “You guys didn’t, like, sleep together, did you?”

Louis is going to smack someone. “No,” he says, teeth grit. “Not yet.”

“Good - wait, what?” Liam asks, jaw dropping. 

“I want Harry to fuck me, but he won’t cooperate,” Louis explains with a weary sigh. “That’s actually why I came over - not to listen to you complain about group projects.” 

“I need you to elaborate,” Liam says, “like _now.”_

“There’s not much else to it,” Louis glowers. “I asked him to fuck me. He said no. I’m trying to change his mind.” He slips his hand into his pocket where the next (and ideally last) phase of his plan is located for safe-keeping. “Preferably, you’d be out of the room when that happens.” He sends him a pointed look. 

Liam’s returning state is unimpressed. “Why do you want Harry to take your virginity?” 

“Multiple reasons,” Louis shrugs. _He’s fit and his cock is big and I know he’ll take care of me properly._ “I don’t think you want to hear them, to be honest.” _And he smells really good._

“Where did this even come from?” Liam says, still looking completely bewildered. 

“It’s a rather recent development,” Louis shrugs. “But also not really any of your business, Payno. I’m going to fuck who I want to fuck.”

Grimacing, Liam shakes his head. “Just tell me in advance. I am _not_ listening to you have sex - no way.” 

“Why? Too tempting?” Louis asks, waggling his eyebrows. The way Liam’s face blanches makes him giggle. “Now get out of here before he comes out.”

“Gladly,” Liam mutters, heading for his desk to pack up his books and homework. He pauses, turning back and narrowing his eyes at Louis. “Don’t you dare fuck on my bed or I’ll end you both.” 

Louis rolls his eyes. “Don’t worry, Liam. We’ll wash the sheets.” He grins when Liam scowls. It’s so fun to mess with the alpha - he really just can’t help himself. 

Finally, _finally,_ Liam packs up and mutters a goodbye before slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him. 

With an exhale, Louis lays back on Liam’s bed and waits. 

By the time the sound of the shower switches off abruptly, Louis has helped Lottie choose a dress for her Spring Formal by ranking her options (over a dozen of them) over text. 

He sits up, determination solidifying inside him as he shoves his phone into his pocket and the door handle turns to open. 

Harry steps out in nothing but a towel, and Louis can’t help the way his eyes follow the trail of dark hair curling from his navel and down under the fabric. The alpha flicks his gaze around the room and groans when he sees Louis.

“Well, hello to you too,” Louis says. 

“What do you want, Louis?” Harry asks, looking a mixture of wary and curious. 

“You know what I want,” Louis counters, and Harry sighs. 

“You’re really hell bent on that, aren’t you?” he asks, frowning. 

“Yeah, well, I know what I want too,” Louis shrugs. He’s trying his best to appear unaffected that a half-dressed alpha is standing less than ten feet away, strong and earthy pheromones filling the room and Louis’ mind until he’s dizzy. 

Harry just squints at him. “Do you?” he asks dubiously. 

“Yes,” Louis says confidently, “and I’ll prove it.” He pulls out a small usb port from his pocket and presents it with a flourish.

“What’s that?” Harry asks, confused.

“I made a slideshow,” Louis says proudly. 

Harry blinks. “A what now?”

“A slideshow,” he repeats, grinning. He holds up his bright yellow flash drive and waves it in the air for emphasis. Three hours and way too many websites for downloadable themes that aren’t even that important to the overall goal later, Louis has a whole damn presentation on why Harry should do this for him.

The alpha gawks at him. “You made an entire slideshow?” he asks in disbelief. “Louis, isn’t this a bit… much?”

The way Harry’s looking at him, pity and a good bit of annoyance, may have scared any other omega off to cower in shame. Not Louis. 

Lips curling at the implication, Louis scoffs. “It’s a short presentation,” he dismisses. He widens his eyes and bats his lashes a little bit. “Please?”

Harry sighs wearily, easy as any alpha. “Fine.”

He unlocks his laptop and tells Louis to get it ready while he changes. Louis pulls up the slides and clears this throat. 

The first slide appears on the screen in pink and he turns to see Harry has settled on the bed, dressed in sweatpants and a worn college shirt. 

“Okay,” Louis says, clapping his hands together. “Five reasons Harry Styles should fuck Louis -“

“Seriously?” Harry asks, and he looks like he’s fighting a smile. 

Louis glares at him anyway. “Five reasons,” he grits, “beginning with number one.” He presses the button for the first slide. 

It’s a pale orange background this time, and it says, _“#1: Sex is Mutually Beneficial.”_

“Oh my God,” Harry says, lips twitching like he’s holding back a laugh. 

Clearing his throat pointedly, Louis begins, “I don’t think I need to explain to you that sex is enjoyable for both or all parties and if you did this for me, I’m guaranteeing it would be worth your time.” He’d make it worth _his_ time, anyway. 

“That’s not really the issue,” Harry starts, before Louis raises a hand to shush him. 

He presses the button for the next slide which is pale yellow. _“#2: Louis_ **_wants_ ** _to have sex.”_

Harry seems to still at that, lips parting as a furrow forms between his eyes. Up to this point he had looked undeniably amused, but now his face is unreadable. 

“Look, I know you think I’m only asking because I don’t want to be a virgin anymore and that’s technically true,” Louis says, folding his hands together, “but not because I feel pressure or anything. I just want to have sex, alright? Not because I feel like I have to or because I’m embarrassed of being a virgin - but because I want to experience intimacy and pleasure with someone else. I _want_ to and I don’t feel ashamed about it. That’s all.” 

Slide three is pale green, going along with his theme of a pastel rainbow. _“#3: Louis wants to have sex with someone trustworthy.”_

Ignoring how weird it is to read about himself in third person, Louis takes a deep breath and continues. _Now to make Harry understand…_ “I could just go and find someone random to do this for me,” he says, oblivious to the way Harry goes rigid at the words. “Especially because I don’t care about any bells or whistles, but I’m also not stupid. I need to ask someone who I know will take care of me properly-” He stops abruptly when the smell hits his nostrils, glancing at Harry in confusion. The alpha looks back at him sheepishly, his pheromones thick and strong as it permeates the room. 

Biting back a smug smile because Harry is somehow _affected_ , Louis continues, “As much as you may think it’s strange - I trust you a lot more than others. I know you’ve got, um, a good track record too.” He pauses to shake his head, directing his gaze to Harry. “I understand, again, if you’re not interested or anything, but I just wanted to clarify those few things first. There’s probably a few other people I could ask too, but there’s still two slides -”

Harry makes a noise that makes Louis freeze in place, mouth dry. It was close to a growl, low and threatening - _alpha._ It makes his omega squirm, feeling an urge to console and comfort. “I don’t have to continue if you don’t want me to! I don’t want to pressure you into anything either -”

“I’ll do it,” Harry says loudly. 

“Just say the word and I’ll -” Louis stops short, Harry’s words taking a second to process. His jaw drops and he whirls around to face the alpha. “Really?” he squeaks. 

The alpha nods jerkily. “I’ll do it.” 

Pure relief and disbelief runs through Louis, omega purring in satisfaction. Harry said _yes_ \- he hadn’t even finished his slideshow. “Um, okay,” he stutters, heart pounding. His plan actually worked! 

(His plan actually worked?)

“Are you sure?” he asks, wincing. 

“Yes,” Harry says, no hesitation. He’s frowning, pheromones still radiating strongly from his body even as he attempts to calm down. 

Louis feels color flood his cheeks at the way his heart beats dizzily in response. “When do you want…?” He trails off. 

Harry exhales through his nose, nostrils flaring. “Come over tomorrow night,” he says gruffly. “Okay?” 

“Why not tonight?” Louis asks, not even caring if he sounds overly eager. 

“I need time to prepare,” Harry says. “To make it good.” 

Shaking his head, Louis protests, “I’m not expecting anything over the top. You don’t have to do anything extra.”

“I don’t have to, but I will,” Harry says, eyes narrowing. His gaze is intense, rooting Louis to the spot. “I know you don’t care about that stuff, but if I’m going to be your first, I’m going to be the best damn first you could have, alright?” 

“Alright,” Louis echoes, taken aback by the conviction in his words. 

“Great,” Harry says. “I’ll text you a time then. Bye, Louis.”

“Uh, bye,” Louis says, feeling stupid. He fumbles when ejecting the flashdrive, replaying the last few minutes over and over. Harry said yes. Harry’s going to take his virginity. 

Louis is going to have sex. With an alpha. And a knot. 

For as much as he seemed eager for Louis to leave immediately, Harry insists on walking him out of the building - some weird alpha urge that Louis can’t say he minds. They stand awkwardly outside for a moment. 

“Uh, thank you for agreeing to do this,” Louis says awkwardly. 

Harry just nods. “It’s no big… you’re welcome, Louis.” He offers a soft smile afterwards which eases some of the tension in Louis’ shoulders. “See you tomorrow.” 

“See you tomorrow,” Louis echoes. 

He walks away, fingers curling into fists as he tries to quell the nervous and almost _excited_ energy thrumming through his veins. Harry said yes. 

Take that, Zayn!

-

All too soon, Louis finds himself knocking on the door to Liam and Harry’s room with a clammy hand, wiping it on his jeans right after. It’s nine o’clock, the time Harry told him to come over and he’s feeling the nerves finally start to kick in. 

It’s not regret or anything, but he’s beginning to worry about the other stuff. If it’s going to hurt, if he’ll be good in bed, if Harry will even be able to pop a knot. It’s weird because Louis usually doesn’t _get_ nervous. Yet he’s internally panicking and doubting his last-minute clothing choices when the door suddenly swings open. 

The smell of rosewood and ginger and that infuriatingly addicting dark chocolate enter his senses and the nausea that had been clawing up his throat melts away in seconds. He exhales and meets Harry’s eyes. “Hi,” he croaks. 

“Louis,” Harry says slowly. He moves to the side to let him in and Louis goes quickly, hands covered by his sleeves. 

Harry’s dressed in his usual flannel and jeans, damp hair matching Louis’. He looks really good and he smells even better. He gestures to the bed and that’s when Louis’ breath hitches. 

It’s not - it’s nothing huge but as he takes in the stripped bed with dark red sheets and the candles hastily placed on the nightstand and the single white rose laying on the pillow, he feels an unexpected warmth flood through him. 

“Uh, Liam’s staying with a friend so we’ll be alone,” Harry says awkwardly. 

“Harry,” Louis says, shaking his head in disbelief. He turns around and peers up the alpha who looks almost as nervous as he had been feeling. “I can’t believe you did all this,” he says. “Thank you.” 

“Of course, Lou,” Harry says softly. The nickname doesn’t feel that strange considering their current situation and it makes Louis smile. 

“I’m just… you even got candles,” he says, feeling awed as he turns to stare again. 

“Yeah, about that,” Harry says sheepishly, a hand coming up to run through his hair. “I didn’t realize until after I set them up that these candles are scented… Uh, I don’t want it to get in the way of smelling you so we probably shouldn’t light them.” He looks a bit embarrassed as he adds, “Sorry about that. Uh, it’s the thought that counts, right?” 

Louis glances at him, smiling. “Yeah.” 

“I had a bottle of champagne with me too but Liam said you don’t drink so I put it away,” Harry says, brows furrowing. “And the rose - uh, _white_ for purity.” He shrugs, looking pleased with himself. “Seemed fitting.” 

Giggling, Louis can’t help but feel hopelessly endeared. “You’re something else, Harry Styles,” he says. “Do you do this for all the omegas you sleep with?” 

Harry lifts his head, smirking. “Just the ones who make powerpoint presentations for me.” 

Reminded suddenly of what they’re leading up to, he takes a deep breath. “So… uh, should I just get undressed?” he asks. As determined as he had been to get to this point, now that he’s here he has no clue what to do. He’s never hooked up with someone, and certainly not under these circumstances. Usually before sex, there’s things like kissing and build-up but he doesn’t know if Harry even wants that, or if he wants this to go as quickly as possible. 

God, is this what it feels like to be constantly nervous? Because he _hates_ it.

As if he can see right through to Louis’ panic, Harry takes a step closer, radiating some comforting pheromones. “Just relax, Lou. We don’t have to do anything just yet. We can sit and talk first.” 

Louis nods, hesitating for a moment before deciding he should sit on Liam’s bed for now. He sits down gingerly, folding his hands in his lap. 

Harry takes a seat on his own bed across from him, feet less than a couple meters apart. “So, still studying Bio?”

“Yes,” Louis hums. He’s always been into all aspects of science, but biology is a whole other level. _Life_ and living things are the most fascinating phenomenon on the planet and even though it’ll be a while of taking core classes and gen-ed, he’s already in love with his major choice. “Classes are such a boring conversation topic, Styles.” 

“Well, what do you want to talk about?” Harry asks, sounding amused. 

Setting his chin in a hand, Louis purses his lips. “If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?” he asks. 

“Honestly?” Harry asks, arching a brow, “San Francisco.”

The words settle in the air and Louis gapes. “I’m sorry, did you just say that if you could go any place in the world, you’d go _thirty minutes away,”_ he says, disbelieving. 

“Yeah,” Harry says. “I went during the summer when I first came to campus and another time with a friend, but I’ve only seen Golden Gate Bridge and Chrissy Field beach. There’s a lot more I want to explore… Golden Gate Park, for one… Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Castro district, the _California Academy of Sciences.”_

The latter makes Louis perk up. “My second home,” he says wistfully. 

“Liam said there's a butterfly observation dome there,” Harry says, lips twitching. 

“Liam didn’t tell you that the first time we ever went there on a class field trip, a butterfly flew into his face and he tripped in front of the girl he was pining over,” Louis snickers. “But yeah, it’s great. There’s penguins there too. Love the little birds - they’re my favorite.” 

Harry squints at him, before smirking. 

Raising an eyebrow, Louis says, “You better not make a joke about waddling.”

Sheepish, Harry ducks his head. “Wanna ride a cable car too,” he adds after a pause. “There ain’t anything like that in Wichita Falls.” 

“Yeah, they’re fun,” Louis agrees, smiling as he remembers plenty of times where he and friends have caught cable cars and hung off the sides, laughs loud and hair ruffling in the wind. His mother loves to tell the story of the first time he ever did it - six years old and with her hovering anxiously behind him, safe on the platform. He had called out, “Hi!” to every passerby, earning a lot of amused and confused looks. “Can’t believe you’ve barely seen anything, Harold,” he says, furrowing his brows. “You’ve been here five months!”

“In my defense,” Harry says, affronted, “It’s been a very busy five months. And I’ve done plenty of exploring here in Berkeley.” 

“Yeah, but this is just… disgraceful,” Louis sputters. “You _need_ to see SF. It’s the heart of the state.” 

“What about LA?” Harry asks, amused. 

Louis scoffs. “As if!” 

“Whoa there, Cher Horowitz,” Harry jokes, and Louis rolls his eyes. “Well, what about you then?” the alpha asks curiously. “Where would you go right now if you could go anywhere in the world?” 

Humming, he mulls over his options. “I think I’d either go to my grandparents’ house in Portland or maybe to Greece. That one is just a cliche though, I guess.” 

“Didn’t even come to mind,” Harry shrugs. “Seeing your grandparents though… do you see them a lot?” 

He nods lightly. “As much as I can, but it’s a long drive,” he says. “I wish I could just teleport there for a hug or a good cup of chai whenever I needed it.” 

Harry smiles at him softly. “That’s cute.” 

“Just honest,” Louis says, chuckling. 

They just look at each other for a moment, pheromones strengthening at the eye contact. And it’s - they were talking about his _grandparents,_ for fuck’s sake. But now his omega is on high alert, skin itching with anticipation. Unable to help himself, he inhales a deep whiff of Harry’s scent, feeling it seep into his bones. Harry’s eyes drop to his throat, tracking the movement of his neck muscles. 

Something goes taut between them, a spark getting lit and burning through the air. Louis watches the exact moment Harry makes the decision, eyes flashing dangerously. 

“C’mere,” he says, voice hoarse. It’s not a request. 

Shuddering, Louis finds himself standing up before he can even really think about it. Feet walking forward and tugging him towards the alpha watching him with hazy eyes. 

Harry stands up from the bed and soon they’re standing less than a foot apart and he’s looking down at Louis who sways toward him by instinct. 

“Lay down for me,” Harry murmurs, not moving his gaze as he gestures to the bed behind him. 

Louis nods, fingers trembling as he gets onto the bed and lays back, body rigid. He exhales, blinking rapidly as Harry gets a knee on the bed, eyes fixed on Louis as he prowls towards him. 

His legs spread unconsciously and Harry settles between them, hands flattening on the mattress on either side of Louis’ ribs. His smell seems to grow ten times stronger, and his nostrils flare as if Louis’ scent is the same. 

When Harry’s hands inch closer to his body, his omega wails, desperation growing more and more unavoidable. But there’s a tension weighing on his bones that leaves him rattled and he finds himself tensing up when Harry finally does touch him - hands pressing into his sides. 

“You okay?” he murmurs grittily. 

“Yeah, I…” Louis swallows, biting back a whine when Harry ducks closer and his scent sinks deeper into his senses, overtaking every other coherent thought. 

Rubbing his hands down Louis’ sides, Harry leans in until his nose is brushing the exposed skin of Louis’ shoulder where his sweater slipped. “Can I scent you?” he whispers. 

Nodding quietly, he bites his lip and shudders when Harry obliges. He noses up the sensitive skin of Louis’ throat, hands sliding down to grip his waist gently. He’s so slow and careful, but his hands leave burning imprints in their wakes and Louis feels the fire grow inside him. 

He swallows again, throat dry. The scenting is helping - Harry’s smell is bleeding into the raw parts of his insides and covering the foreign mass of nervousness with soft reassurance. But there’s something else - he needs that something else. 

“Will you… kiss me?” he asks after a moment, voice shy and hesitant. What if Harry won’t kiss him? He actually doesn’t know if kissing is a usual component of his hook-ups let alone this favor that he agreed to very reluctantly. But before Louis can bury himself in a pool of his own worries, Harry leans over and presses their lips together roughly. 

One of his big hands comes up to frame the side of Louis’ head, hand spanning from the top of his head to his jaw with ease. 

Harry kisses like he does everything else: slow and thorough. It’s almost lazy, like he’s got all the time in the world to be kissing Louis just like this. Pheromones swirl around them, smothering Louis in the smell of rosewood and ginger and what is most definitely dark chocolate.

This time he’s unable to suppress the quiet whine that works its way out of his throat, cracking through the flimsy apprehension that they were both immersed in. 

Another big hand slips under his sweater, a warm palm flattening on his stomach and making him shiver. Harry parts his lips with his tongue, licking into his mouth carefully and languidly. 

Louis mewls, lifting his hands and curling them around Harry’s neck, trying to pull him even closer. Harry is warm and firm against him, overwhelming in every way possible. 

The alpha lets out a soft grunt as he pulls away, tilting Louis’ head for better access as he drags his lips down his throat, scenting him as he goes. There’s something in the way he touches Louis that’s so careful - like he’s something delicate and precious - and it makes Louis feel even more dazed, turning his head to bare his neck. 

Groaning quietly, Harry mouths over the exposed flesh, inhaling deeply. He grazes his teeth over the juncture between Louis’ neck and shoulder, making him jerk. 

His hands lower down to the hem of Louis’ sweater, fingers curling into the fabric tightly. “Can I take this off, baby?” he asks. 

Nodding, his eyes flutter shut as Harry tugs at the material, pulling it up and over his head. His skin prickles at the sudden rush of cool air, the urge to curl into himself festering inside him. But that feeling disappears when Harry growls softly, leaning back down to nose at his neck as he splays a hand out over Louis’ front, his palm covering almost his entire stomach. 

Louis fists the bottom of Harry’s shirt, hinting that he wants it off. 

Harry presses his lips to his cheekbone tenderly before pulling back. Louis opens his eyes in time to see the flex of Harry’s abdomen muscles as he shrugs his shirt off and tosses it off the bed, revealing smooth tattooed skin and broad shoulders. 

He immediately crawls back over Louis to nose into his neck again, like he can’t go even a minute without scenting him. Louis basks in it, head lolling back against the mattress as a dizzy tremor wracks his body. 

Calloused hands stroke over his sides and stomach and then long fingers skim over the tops of his jeans - asking another question. 

Louis nods, turning his head and seeking out Harry’s lips for reassurance. The alpha gladly indulges him, kissing him roughly as he carefully begins to tug his jeans down. 

Sucking in a breath, Louis bites his lip anxiously as Harry eases the denim down, waiting. 

All of a sudden, Harry freezes, hands faltering at his hips. 

Squeezing his eyes shut, Louis tries to bite back a whimper. Hot breath fans out across his face and he can feel it when Harry draws in a deep breath. 

_“Jesus Christ,”_ he breathes, voice hoarse. His fingers brush over Louis’ skin, skimming over the lace in awe. Louis shudders at the gentle touch, eyes fluttering open. 

“You like?” he murmurs, shyness curling inside him and fluttering softly. 

Harry looks dazed, eyes dark as they take in every inch of his pale blue panties. He’s had them for a while, a spontaneous purchase from an infamous shopping trip with Perrie and Jade that they agreed never to talk about ever again. He had decided to wear them literally last-minute, hand poised on the knob to his room before he thought _fuck it_ and hurried to dig them out of his dresser. 

He had also wasted some time admiring the way they hugged his ass when he slid them on, the small bulge of his cock looking obscene against the thin front of the panties. The contrast between the pale fabric and his tanned skin was also enchanting and he felt a bit breathless with how genuinely _pretty_ he felt in that moment. 

And he feels pretty now. But he can’t deny the vulnerable part of himself that wants Harry to think he looks pretty too. Though, telling by the way Harry looks like he’s been stunned silent before the vision of something extraordinary, he’ll get what he wants. 

“Louis,” Harry says eventually, voice so deep that Louis can’t help but shiver. _“Fuck,_ Louis, you’re the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen.” It comes out so raw - so _honest,_ that Louis flushes all the way down to his chest, preening. 

His omega is close to swooning. He’s the _loveliest_ thing Harry has ever seen, Jesus Christ. He’s not going to survive this, is he?

“Turn over so I can see it properly, darlin’,” Harry says, voice heavy and smooth like honey. Louis obeys, resting on his forearms and pushing his hips up - presenting. 

Harry groans, low and rumbling deep in his chest. His hands return to his hips, sliding down to his cheeks before he’s groping Louis unabashedly, petting the lace like it’s something fragile and delicate. 

“Fuckin’ hell,” he mumbles after a while, before seemingly gathering himself again. “Do you want it like this, baby? Or on your back?” he asks. 

Louis swallows. “Back,” he rasps. He wants to be able to see Harry and maybe hold his hand if it hurts. 

“Okay, sweetheart. Turn over again for me,” he coaxes, but he ends up guiding Louis onto his back himself, hands roaming down his sides and down to his ass unashamedly. 

They snog messily for a few minutes until Louis is panting, feeling the wetness form between his ass cheeks as the first wave of slick soaks through his panties.

Harry growls again, nostrils flaring as he inhales the thick scent. “You smell so good,” he murmurs, lips brushing over his neck. 

“Please,” Louis whispers, dazed. Harry’s own scent is rapidly becoming the only thing he can focus on, vision going blurry and mind racing as his heart thunders in his ears. 

He feels a deep and intense need inside him, pressing at his skin and pulsing with every breath he takes. With a whimper, he releases another wave of slick, hips bucking up in air. 

“I’ve got you,” Harry says, sealing their mouths together again. Somehow he manages to slide his jeans off without breaking their kiss, sucking Louis’ bottom lip into his mouth and biting down to make him moan. 

And then they’re both down to their underwear, tongues sliding together and hands grasping at skin and hair. This is the closest Louis has ever been with an alpha, bare skin on bare skin and another heart pounding against his. He can feel a hardness pushing into his hip, thick and firm, and it makes him dizzy to think he’s going to have that _inside_ him. 

Harry’s hands return to their spots at Louis’ hips, fingers rubbing over the lace wonderingly. “Can’t believe you dressed up for me,” he murmurs, lips dragging down his throat. He slides his fingers under the fabric, another silent question. 

Louis nods, gasping when Harry presses the heel of his palm into his small bulge, making his hips buck up unconsciously. Then he’s inching the fabric down and past his ass. Louis doesn’t feel nervous anymore, especially not when Harry’s eyes wander down his fully naked body like he’s drinking him in and can’t get enough. 

“You too,” he urges, feeling that desperation bloom stronger in his chest. 

The alpha obliges, shoving his boxers down and letting his cock spring up, hard and heavy. 

It’s not that Louis has never seen an alpha dick - he’s seen his fair share actually (in porn, but _still),_ but it’s different seeing one in person. Harry is _big._ Really big. He’s thick and long too, curving up at the end. The base is thick where a knot will form later on. Louis wonders fleetingly how it’s fit inside so many omegas - if it can fit inside _him._

But it will. Louis wants it to - more now than ever. 

When he glances up at Harry, the alpha looks unbearably smug. He can’t even feel disgruntled by it, another wave of slick immediately leaking from his hole as his omega whines. 

Harry smiles, an almost dangerous curl of his lips. “It’s like they say, right?” 

“Huh?” Louis asks, still feeling a bit dazed.

“Everything’s bigger in Texas,” Harry says, voice gritty. 

Louis snorts, the awe he felt fading away. “Knothead,” he mutters, but he can’t stop his eyes from dropping back to track the way Harry’s cock bobs as the alpha moves closer. 

“Just honest,” Harry drawls, ducking down to press a kiss to his racing pulse. He bites there right after, making Louis shudder. “Feeling good, darlin’?” he asks, saying it as if it’s the most important thing to him at this moment. 

“Yeah,” Louis breathes, eyes fluttering shut when Harry starts scenting him again. He squirms, feeling the wetness trickle down between his thighs. Harry groans, burying his nose in Louis’ neck. 

“Fuck, you smell _so_ good,” he says, sounding pained. “Cinnamon and sugar - so sweet. Wanna taste.” 

Swallowing dryly, Louis whispers, “Then taste.” 

Harry’s gaze flickers to his to check if he’s joking and when he sees the want mirrored in Louis’ eyes, he nods. His big hands run over Louis’ thighs soothingly before he ducks down and licks a stripe up his perineum. 

Louis jerks, whining loudly. 

The hands on his legs tighten as Harry spreads them further apart. He flattens his tongue against Louis’ entrance, the pressure feeling foreign but so so good. Louis can’t contain the noises falling from his lips, a litany of mewls and whimpers and moans filling the air as Harry licks up his taint. 

He feels dizzy with pleasure and lust, fingers curling into the sheets as he grasps at the fabric desperately. When Harry’s tongue finally dips past the ring of muscles, a tremor wracks his body, rendering him speechless. 

“Pretty hole,” Harry comments - _casually,_ like he’s complimenting a shirt or the color of his eyes _._ Louis squeezes his eyes shut and bites his own bottom lip, hard. 

The alpha’s fingers flex on his thighs, digging into his skin as he laps at his entrance, the sound completely _obscene_ in the room. It doesn’t help that Louis just keeps producing slick, hips unconsciously rutting against the mattress in pure desperation as his prick drips against his stomach. 

“Taste so good, baby,” Harry pulls back to say a bit later, voice gravelly and heavy. He caresses the side of Louis’ hips. “Good?” 

“Good,” Louis chokes out, eyes rolling back in his head when Harry dives back in tongue first. 

Everything except Harry blurs to a hazy drone in Louis’ mind and he’s helpless but to surrender to it, the heat in his stomach growing stronger and spreading across his body. He doesn’t even realize at first what’s happened when his body goes rigid and the tension disappears. 

He freezes right after, mouth dropping open. 

Harry just keeps licking at his hole like he can’t get enough. 

“‘Arry,” he rasps, arms trembling as he struggles between pressing into the intrusion or squirming away because he’s now sensitive. 

“Yeah, darlin’?” Harry croaks, voice gritty and hoarse. It sinks into Louis’ skin, making him shudder. 

“I - I came,” he admits, a flush blooming across his cheeks. It’s not like he didn’t expect to be premature his first time but Harry didn’t even get his dick in yet and he can’t help but feel disappointed. 

But then Harry says, “S’okay, you can come again.” Casual. Self-assured. 

Louis gulps. “Okay.”

The alpha ducks back down to suck at his rim a little more, grazing his teeth over the skin before finally easing up. “Alright, you ready for my fingers?” he asks softly, one hand stroking up the side of Louis’ thigh soothingly. 

“Yeah,” Louis says, swallowing. 

Even though he said yes, Harry doesn’t give it to him that quickly. Instead, he nuzzles the side of his face into the soft skin of Louis’ leg and then presses wet kisses there. He kisses a path to the inside of his thigh before beginning to work on a mark, soothing the sting of his teeth with gentle laps of his tongue. 

He continues these ministrations even as he presses a couple fingers over Louis’ hole, feeling around the entrance experimentally. Louis finds himself getting hard again, legs trembling as he shifts against the sheets. 

The first finger feels like a shock, but he tries to stay relaxed, knowing it’ll be easier. Harry guides him through it, clambering up on the bed and fitting their chests together as he slides his finger up to the first knuckle. 

Lips drag across the dip of his collarbone and then up his throat as the finger begins pumping in and out of his hole, the sensation technically not foreign considering he’s had his own fingers inside him before but still somehow brand new because Harry’s fingers are longer and thicker and reach the spaces he had struggled to reach on his own. 

“Feel good, Lou?” Harry checks, voice rumbling in his ear earnestly. 

Weak with pleasure, Louis can only manage a nod. He tilts his head until their foreheads knock together, lips puckering in request. 

Harry indulges him easily, slotting their lips together sloppily as a second finger inches in with the first. As Harry works on opening him up - slowly and steadily - Louis feels the remaining tension and rigidness leech out of his body with every shaky exhale. 

By the time Harry slides a third finger in, Louis is gasping into Harry’s mouth, tangling a hand in his hair and whining as he arches into the fingers. 

“Doing so well,” Harry mumbles against his lips when he whines again, a desperate undertone of impatience lining the sound. “Just wanna be thorough, baby. I’m still gonna take care of you.” 

Omega purring satisfiedly at the promise, Louis tries to ground himself, focusing on the pressure of Harry’s mouth and the big hand covering his own which he has flattened against the mattress. 

He tries to be patient but it gets more and more difficult, the itch growing to a full strength burn the longer Harry thrusts his fingers into him. 

And when they crook just right, Louis jolts sharply, letting out a startled moan. 

“Right there?” Harry asks, biting down on his bottom lip. He keeps the angle and makes Louis quake again, whole body shaking now. 

“Fuck me,” Louis urges, digging his fingers into Harry’s scalp and pushing back onto his digits. “Please fuck me.” 

“Wanna hear you beg for it, baby,” Harry murmurs hoarsely, nose bumping into his clumsily. He pulls away to scent him again, nipping at his neck teasingly. “Let me hear ya.” 

“Harry, please,” Louis whines unashamedly. “Please fuck me. Please, please, please.”

“Since you asked so nicely,” Harry drawls. He slides all three fingers out in a blink of an eye and Louis is left fumbling from the lost. He must have made some sort of distressed noise because Harry kisses his temple, hushing him softly. “One second, baby. I’m right here. Right here with you.” 

Louis turns his head to catch his lips again, panting into his open mouth. 

Harry cups his face with one hand, thumb rubbing over his cheekbone as he settles between Louis’ legs, cock bumping into Louis’ thigh, big and, if Louis hadn’t wanted it this much, intimidating. 

“You ready, sweetheart?” Harry asks softly, pecking him once, twice, three times on the lips. He wipes a stray tear away from under Louis’ eye, kissing his forehead this time. “Doing so well for me,” he murmurs. 

Letting out a shaky exhale, Louis nods. “M’ready,” he rasps, in case Harry is waiting for verbal communication. 

“Okay,” Harry murmurs, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers before Louis even has to ask. “Tell me if you want to stop or if it hurts.” 

_This is it,_ Louis thinks dazedly as he nods his assent. 

He squeezes Harry’s hand when the alpha lines up, the head of his cock brushing over his still-leaking hole. Harry squeezes back, pressing their lips together reassuringly as he slowly pushes in. 

It’s tight, is the first thing he thinks. And technically he expected that but it seems so much more daunting in person, the pressure unknown and unfamiliar and so unbelievably intense. For a second, Louis is sure that it’s not going to fit but miraculously, it does. 

His body is built for this, he supposes. The way he stretches to accommodate Harry’s length and later his knot. It hurts a little bit, but the rush of soothing pheromones filling his lungs helps the pain and so does the hand running up and down his side and the lips mumbling encouragement and praises into his mouth. 

“You’re taking me so well, baby,” he’s saying. “Being such a good omega for me. Just a little bit more. Yeah, baby, you can do it. Beautiful, perfect, so good for me.”

When he finally bottoms out, Louis exhales deeply, heaving for breath. His heart thunders in his ears and he tries to slow it to a normal rate, overwhelmed. 

Harry returns his free hand to Louis’ face, thumb pressing into his jaw. “Feeling okay?” 

Throat dry, Louis nods. “Just - need a minute,” he breathes. 

“Take your time, baby,” Harry whispers gently. He continues fussing over him, kissing his temples, forehead, nose, and lips, and running his hand over his body comfortingly. His other hand still holds Louis’ securely, an anchor for him to hang on to. 

He focuses on taking a few deep breaths too, eager to get past the initial discomfort so he can get to the mind numbing pleasure. When his omega starts whining again, he knows he’s ready. “You can move,” he slurs. 

“Are you sure, Lou?” Harry asks. 

Nodding jerkily, he squeezes Harry’s hand the best he can when it feels like the strength has been drained from his body. “Go,” he whispers. 

Harry acquiesces, grabbing his free hand and bringing both above his head right as he draws his hips backs, cock sliding out slowly. When he pushes forward again, Louis jerks, choking on a gasp. 

The pressure is all-consuming, making his lungs tremble and his toes curl into the sheets. His fingers twitch in Harry’s hold and his back arches as Harry continues to press in achingly slow. He can feel every inch of his cock slide into him, stretching him open and making him quiver. 

His legs come up to wrap around Harry’s middle, tugging him closer and egging him to drive in deeper. He ducks down to connect their mouths messily, pheromones swirling around them and sticking to their skin. 

It’s overwhelming - intense in the best way possible - and Louis finds himself going lightheaded as Harry builds a steady pace, hips meeting his ass on every thrust with a distinct sound. The bed shakes beneath them, headboard creaking as Harry gains momentum, reassured by Louis’ mewls. 

“Feel so good, Lou,” he’s murmuring nonsensically. “So good for me. Good omega.” 

Louis whines with the praise, pleasure fogging his brain and making him see stars. His head lolls back onto the pillow when Harry changes the angle and shoves in just right, hitting his spot. There’s barely any space between them, his cock sliding up against Harry’s abs with every thrust and making Louis squirm. He’s close already, so fucking close, yet he doesn’t want it to end yet. Doesn’t want to stop. 

It’s not up to him though, the frisson of heat at the base of his stomach growing stronger and stronger until he’s shaking, pressing up into Harry’s movements desperately. 

“Close,” he gasps, fingers quivering until Harry squeezes them reassuringly. 

“C’mon, give it to me,” Harry urges, dragging his lips down to Louis’ neck to scent him again as he renews his efforts in making the bed quake. “Give it to me, sweet omega.” 

With one last whimper, his body seizes and he comes with a cry, tears spilling from his eyes as he convulses through it. 

Harry slows down for a minute to get him to recover but when Louis gathers some coherence, he nudges the alpha’s back with his foot, telling him he’s okay.

“You’re perfect,” Harry breathes, before he begins chasing his own release. Louis mewls, eyes fluttering shut from oversensitivity but also from pure want, omega eager to please his alpha.

 _“Alpha,”_ he breathes, title slipping out before he can stop it. 

Harry falters, hips stuttering as he lets out a groan and pushes in harder than before, knot swelling at the base of his cock. Louis shifts when he feels it draw closer, fingers clenching and teeth gritting in preparation as Harry slams in one last time and the knot locks in. 

It hurts - fuck, it hurts so bad for a moment and Louis’ mouth drops open on a silent scream. Harry lets go of his hands to cradle his face, pressing kisses over his wet kisses as his knot settles, pumping hot cum into him and painting his insides white. 

“You can take it, baby,” Harry is soothing. “Doing so well. Doing so well for me, Lou. Almost there.” 

When he finally adjusts to the new feeling, he chokes out a relieved breath, sighing happily when Harry curls his arms around him and rolls them over. He drops his head to Harry’s shoulder, feeling spent and sated. 

It feels weird having a knot in him. It’s a good weird though, a _full_ feeling that makes Louis feel safe and content. Harry flattens a hand on the small of his back, warm and grounding. He presses a kiss to the top of Louis’ head, body vibrating with every inhale and exhale as he tries to catch his own breath. 

“Feelin’ okay?” he rasps after a minute, other hand cupping the back of his neck gently. 

Louis hums his assent, nuzzling into the alpha’s neck to scent him. He knows it’ll take about fifteen minutes for a normal knot to go down but since it’s his first time, it could take longer. He’s perfectly happy right here, however. Just like this. 

Harry seems to sense this, not pushing any further and letting him rest. 

When his knot finally deflates, Louis’ limbs feel heavy and sluggish with sleep. He whines in protest when Harry slides out from under him, cock slipping out from his spent hole. 

“Shh, baby,” Harry coos, standing up but reaching out to circle his ankle tightly. “You need to get cleaned up. You want to shower first?” 

Pouting, Louis nods, letting the alpha tug him to his feet and steady him with gentle hands on his waist. 

They actually end up showering together because Louis requests it, eager for the proximity. It’s hot and humid, sides brushing and limbs bumping as they struggle to move around the small stall. They turn off the water as Harry rubs shampoo into his hair while he scrubs between his ass cheeks to get rid of the stickiness. Then Harry gets on his knees with his hands on Louis’ hips so Louis can wash his hair too, enjoying running his hands through the alpha’s curls way too much. 

It should feel weird but it feels perfectly natural when he smears the extra shampoo foam over Harry’s lips to give him a soap mustache. Even more natural when Harry retaliates by tickling his ribs until he protests, giggling and digging his fingers into Harry’s shoulders to keep himself from slipping on the slick floor. 

The water comes back on for them to rinse off and then they bundle in towels and shuffle back out of the bathroom to get dressed. 

Louis had (stupidly) not brought a backup pair of underwear and since there’s no way he’s putting those soiled panties back on, Harry lends him a pair of boxers that are too big on him even when he folds the band over twice. 

It works though and soon they’re standing fully dressed, staring at each other awkwardly.

“So, how was it?” Harry asks, breaking the tense silence. 

Louis cracks a smile. “I think you know how it was,” he huffs. 

And like a true alpha, Harry just smirks. 

“Hey, thank you for doing this for me,” Louis adds, voice soft. “I know it was a weird request, but it means a lot. I promise there won’t be any other favors like this in the future.”

He meant it to express his gratitude and reassure, but he doesn’t expect to see the way Harry reels back, looking taken off guard. The change is unmistakable. Harry seems to close off again, a door shutting where it had once been wide open. He smiles thinly and nods at Louis. 

“See you Friday,” he says stiffly. Friday they’re going out to eat with the others, a normal and frequent tradition between their group of friends, but bringing it up now is an unsubtle dismissal. 

Throat dry, Louis nods, confused. He didn’t think he said anything wrong but maybe this is just typical - an abrupt goodbye to a hookup. Because that’s what this was: a one-night stand with some extra weight to it. A friend helping a friend out. Casual and quick. 

“Thank you again,” Louis says hoarsely, forcing a smile as he walks to the door and curls a hand around the knob. “See you, Harry.” 

“Bye, Louis,” Harry murmurs, a layer of something in his tone that Louis can’t decipher. 

Unable to think of anything else to say, Louis opens the door and steps out into the hallway, marvelling at the ache between his legs and the knowledge that he now knows what a knot feels like. The door shuts behind him, breaking him out of his thoughts. 

Biting his lip, he glances back at the old wood where Liam’s stuck a circular chalkboard sign that says _Liam and Harry_ with two crudely drawn stick-figures to represent them. He blinks at it for a while, faded white blurring into stark black until he finally shakes out of it, hurrying down the hallway and trying to filter through the torrent of his brain. 

He got what he wanted - got his first knot filling him up. 

So why does he still feel so empty? 

-

The next week passes by achingly slow, and Louis can’t stop thinking - can’t stop _remembering_ what it felt like having Harry close to him, over him, _in_ him. 

It’s the small things he remembers too - the way Harry had bought candles even though he ended up deciding not to light them, the white rose, and the way he had taken care of Louis so reverently and carefully. 

There’s one thing for sure. Harry really was the best damn first he could ever have, and Louis can’t help but feel overwhelmingly grateful. 

It’s just… it’s been five days and he still can’t get Harry’s scent out of his head - his scent or his touch or how he had looked at Louis with heavy eyes. Every morning he’s woken up with memories flitting through his brain, burning in the back of his eyelids, skin clammy and fingers curled into the sheets. 

For some reason, he thought that getting knotted would quell the ache inside him for sexual satisfaction, but that’s not what’s happened. It’s the exact opposite - ever since he and Harry slept together, a fire has sparked inside him, a burning desire for _more._

He’s gotten himself off almost every day since Sunday, teeth biting into his bottom lip to hold back his whimpers and moans as he strains to reach that sweet peak, only to fall short every time, fingers too small and orgasms pitiful. 

It’s not the same, is the thing. The pleasure he can find himself has always been fulfilling - always been _enough._ But now that he’s had a taste of something more… well, he’s definitely feeling the loss. 

Even worse, his inner _omega_ is feeling it. They’re restless, itching for the familiar touch and comfort of the alpha it had gained so much security and pleasure from. Except, he hasn’t seen Harry all week. Not on Tuesday when he thought up an excuse to go visit his dorm, only for Liam to tell him that Harry’s been out all day. Not on Thursday when he did the exact same thing and met the same result. Even when he stayed for hours both times. Harry’s pretty much always at least stopped by when Louis has dropped in unannounced, but he’s starkly absent this entire week. 

Louis shouldn’t feel as frustrated about it as he does. 

But now it’s Friday, and Louis gets his calendar reminder for dinner with the boys. Him, Liam, Niall, Zayn, and most importantly, _Harry._

This is when he’ll see if his suspicions are correct and the alpha is truly ignoring him, and further, _why?_

Although he had initially rejected Louis’ idea, when he came around to it, he had seemed genuinely okay with the whole situation. He had seemed alright the entire time - like he had _enjoyed_ it, even. But… maybe he didn’t? 

Maybe it’s just awkwardness? 

Louis doesn’t know what it is, but he intends to find out. 

They’re meeting at _Gather_ for pizza at 7 so Louis and Zayn set out at 6:45, the close distance from campus making it possible for them to walk. It’s cold enough outside to garner a sweater and a jacket over it, hands shoved into his pockets as he hums to himself. 

Zayn chatters on about the Ceramics class he attended earlier today and Louis does his best to listen, before ultimately zoning out, too distracted by his own whirring brain. He had a lab this morning and that’s usually enough to brighten his mood for the entire day, but the joy has already faded and all he can think about is how Harry is going to act towards him. 

When they finally arrive, Louis forces himself to push those thoughts away. Who cares what Harry thinks anyway? With that in mind, he smiles at the beta who’s exiting the building but pauses to hold the door open for them, murmuring a thank you as he ducks in with Zayn. 

Niall’s waiting at their table for five in the back, waving them over eagerly. He’s already got their usual appetizers ordered, Little Organic Farm Kennebec fries and grilled vegetables drizzled with lemon and rosemary. The smell seeps into Louis’ nostrils and he sighs contentedly. 

“Hey, guys,” Niall greets when they sit down, picking up a fry and swallowing it whole. “Li and H are on the way. They’re just finishing up at the gym.” 

“The gym,” Zayn sniffs, wrinkling his nose. “Still don’t understand why anyone willingly goes to one.” 

“You and me both,” Louis mutters, trying not to think about Harry sweaty and shirtless, a concentrated expression on his face similar to the one he was wearing when he was fucking -

Anyways. 

“How’s your week been, Ni?” he asks, trying to distract yet again. 

The beta hums thoughtfully. “Long,” is what he settles on, chuckling. “Okay, but seriously. Had to work three extra shifts this week and Carrie’s bad mood is _still_ raging, for fuck’s sake. I get she broke up with her boyfriend but does she need to take it out on me?” 

Niall works at a local juice bar and he normally enjoys it but his actual manager is gone on maternity leave, leaving who he calls the ‘most annoying person on the planet’ in charge. 

“Bro, you gotta stop letting her walk all over you,” Zayn says, raising an eyebrow. “You know she’s not going to rebound with you, right?” 

Louis chokes on a laugh, eyes widening while Niall sputters. 

“That’s not - I don’t want her to -” Niall breaks off, face red. 

“You have the hots for _Carrie?”_ Louis says, shocked. “But you complain about her all the time!”

“Read between the lines, Lou,” Zayn says flatly, rolling his eyes when Niall tries to protest. “Oh, c’mon. Don’t act like you didn’t tell me you were pining over one of your coworkers back in November and then suddenly stopped talking about them when they ‘got a boyfriend.’”

“I can’t believe this,” Louis murmurs, feeling like his entire perception of the world has shifted. “Niall, you fucker.” 

“She’s still being an ass about these shifts though,” Niall grumbles. 

“Your two choices here are either challenging her or asking her out,” Zayn says. “Pick your poison.” 

“I’ll just stand until my feet fall off,” Niall mutters sorely. He narrows his eyes at Zayn. “I’m never telling you anything again. Vaguely or not.” 

“We both know that’s a lie,” the omega hums and Louis snorts. Zayn raises an eyebrow, smirking at him. “Let’s not get too brave here, _George.”_

Louis scowls, crossing his arms. “I am not a -”

“What’s going on here?” interrupts a voice. Louis sighs. Liam. 

Wait - Liam means Harry!

Biting his lip, Louis pointedly does not look in their direction, body stiffening when he realizes one of the free seats is next to him. His eyes shut automatically when he hears the sound of the chair dragging against the floor and someone sitting down. 

“Bout time you guys got here,” Niall huffs. “Zayn is exposing all my secrets.”

“So we missed all the fun,” drawls a familiar voice. A familiar voice that sounds much too far to be right next to him. 

He opens his eyes and glances to the left to see Liam has occupied the free seat, meaning Harry picked the spot next to Niall - also known as the spot farthest from him. It’s not a big deal, he reasons. There’s two seats and 50% chance he’d choose one or the other and he probably didn’t put any thought into it. 

“Niall, stop eating the fries or we’re going to have to order more,” Liam scolds, batting his hand away to take his own handful. 

“I think at some point we have to accept that we’re always going to have to order more,” Niall jokes, and Liam snorts. 

The rest of dinner passes like it usually does. Louis shares a pizza with Zayn like normal and tries to be subtle in his frequent glances at the alpha who seems bent on studiously ignoring him - yeah, he’s definitely avoiding Louis. 

He hasn’t looked his way once, and Louis would know because he’s been looking very much in comparison. He’s also unusually silent too, giving short answers to Niall’s probing questions about how he’s coping from the hangover he was nursing that morning. 

So he had gone out last night. It’s nothing new or anything, but the way Harry shies away from the questions definitely is, jaw set and lips pulled into a thin line. Typically at these dinners, Harry would be one of the ones talking the most, asking everyone including Louis about their weeks and then going off on a tangent about the most ridiculous yet somehow entertaining of subjects. 

It’s a miracle that none of the others notice, Zayn and Liam wrapped up in an argument about whether the third Iron Man movie is going to be good or shit while Niall starts complaining (pining?) about Carrie again. 

Louis eats his pizza and continues to glance at Harry from under his fringe, hoping Harry will stop being stubborn and give him _something._ But, of course, that doesn’t happen, and all too soon the waiter is returning with the check which they’ve agreed to split. 

They go outside and even though Harry’s the one to hold the door open for them to pass, he _still_ doesn’t look at Louis, eyes focused somewhere above Louis’ head when he walks past him, no form of acknowledgement whatsoever when Louis says, “Thank you.” 

Everyone seems to be ready to head out including Zayn who raises his brows at Louis expectantly, but Louis drags out their goodbyes far too long, waiting and wishing for something that doesn’t come because Harry goes on paying attention to everyone but him. 

He might as well be _invisible_ to the alpha, and it’s infuriating. If there’s one thing Louis doesn’t like, it’s not having someone’s attention. 

This just simply won’t do. 

Deciding to fuck subtlety, Louis confronts him with a direct question. “Harry, how was your burger?”

Harry spares him a terse glance, clearing his throat. “It was fine,” he says shortly. 

Louis narrows his eyes, but Harry looks away and the moment is over. He didn’t look angry or anything, but he did look the slightest bit annoyed - like he knows Louis is trying to bait him but won’t give in. 

Before he can even think about trying something else, Harry taps Liam on the shoulder. “We have five minutes before our parking meter expires,” he says loudly. “And it’s a bit of a walk so we should go now.” He turns to them with a strained smile. "Sorry, ya'll." 

Liam nods, sending them an apologetic look. “We have to go, guys, but this was a lot of fun. Next time we should go bowling or something!”

Instead of interjecting to remind Liam how ‘bowling’ and ‘Zayn’ do not work well together, Louis glares at the side of Harry’s head. He’s so - it’s so obvious he’s trying to escape and Louis still has no fucking idea what’s the issue. 

But there’s nothing he can do as they say their goodbyes and Liam and Harry walk off. Niall says he has his bike parked down the street so they say goodbye to him too. 

Louis tries not to stew in his vexation, but it’s difficult. 

-

He and Zayn spend most of the walk back to campus in silence. 

Typically, it’d be dangerous for two unmated omegas to be walking together so late, but there’s plenty of people out and about, chatting and strolling under the glow of the glinting colored lights curled around trunks of trees and woven over alcoves and store signs. 

Berkeley is one of Louis’ favorite places in the world, having been the backdrop to so many good memories in his life even long before college, but even appreciating its beauty does little to raise his mood. 

He’s thrumming with frustrated energy, desperate to let it out somewhere and just… do something. He’s practically vibrating with it, fidgeting and bouncing on his toes. It takes Zayn only a few more minutes to get tired of it. 

“What?” he asks, sparing Louis an irritated but also concerned glance. 

Louis could take this chance to explain what’s bothering him, but he’s not in the mood for Zayn’s probing questions or wild assumptions. The latter makes him remember. “How’d you know about Niall and Carrie?” he blurts. 

Zayn looks nonplussed, shrugging lightly. “Some people are just really transparent,” he says, before giving Louis a pointed look. 

_“Me?”_ Louis squeaks when he realizes what Zayn is implying. He scoffs. “Am not!” 

“Oh, so you didn’t spend the entire dinner trying to get Harry’s attention?” Zayn asks, raising an eyebrow. “And he didn’t spend the entire dinner not giving it to you? And you’re not all agitated and fussy because of it?” 

Louis blinks. So it wasn’t a miracle, apparently. “I was not,” he still denies, kicking the sidewalk with the toe of his shoe and scuffing the already dirty white Vans even more. “And I’m not fussy,’ he adds petulantly. 

The snort Zayn lets out is offensive, in Louis’ opinion. 

“So what’s the deal?” he asks after a moment. “Why is Harry ignoring you and why are you so bothered by it?” 

“I don’t know why he’s ignoring me,” Louis scowls. “But I intend to find out.” 

“Of course,” Zayn chuckles. “I knew you’d get attached.” 

Stopping short on the sidewalk, Louis puts his hands on his hips. “I am not attached,” he denies. 

“Oh really?” Zayn asks, raising an eyebrow as he comes to a halt as well. “Lou, the only time you get this bothered about not having someone’s attention is when you _like_ them.” 

“That’s not true,” Louis says, but they both know it is. “Okay, so maybe I like him a _little,”_ he admits. “But what did you expect? He’s my first.” 

“I _told_ you it wasn’t a good idea and what did you do? Go and get yourself infatuated,” Zayn says, shaking his head. 

“C’mon, Z. That’s an exaggeration,” Louis says, rolling his eyes. “It’s not like I want to date him. I wouldn’t say no to sleeping with him again - that was sort of magical. And okay, _maybe_ he’s really hot and smells good and exactly fits my type, but I don’t want to _date_ him.” 

Zayn just stares at him. 

Louis bites his lip. “Maybe I wouldn’t say _no_ if he asked, but… ugh, I hate you,” he huffs. Zayn just smirks. “It’s not even about that, anyway! I just want to know why he’s avoiding me! And make sure things aren’t… awkward!”

“Right, because sleeping with a friend is _never_ awkward,” Zayn says dryly. 

“You’re the worst,” Louis mutters, nudging his side with a pout as he starts walking again. They’ve been blocking the middle of the sidewalk for too long. 

Zayn follows and bumps him back, a bit gentler but still pointed. “You love me.” 

“I hate you,” Louis corrects. 

“You _love_ me.” 

“I _despise_ you.” 

“You _loveee -_ ” 

“Shut the fuck up already,” Louis groans. 

They fall into another comfortable silence, but Louis’ mind whirls, thoughts swirling into something almost tangible. He exhales when it settles. A plan. 

“I’ve got an idea,” he announces, glancing at Zayn. “To find out why he’s ignoring me.” 

Zayn blinks at him, and then groans when he realizes Louis isn’t joking. “Lou -”

“It’s not a full plan! Nothing big,” he assures, biting his lip. They turn to cross onto Oxford Street and he continues, “I just need to get him alone so we can talk.” 

“Louis,” Zayn says again, shaking his head. 

“I just want to know why! That’s all!” 

“It’s never that simple with you,” Zayn mutters. 

“Shut up.” He stops abruptly again, turning to Zayn. “Do you wanna get ice cream?” 

Zayn stares at him. “Is that even a question?” 

“This is why we’re friends,” Louis murmurs, patting his friend on the back. 

They stop at Ben & Jerry’s and eat their ice cream on the way back to campus. It’s an extra ten minutes but it’s entirely worth it. Louis is wiping his sticky fingers with a crumpled napkin by the time they make it back to the dorms, talking to Zayn about “accidentally” showing up to Nialls’ work sometime next week so they can see him and Carrie in action. 

Neither of them bring up a certain alpha again. Both know Louis has already made up his mind. 

-

“Wait, you and Harry slept together?” Niall exclaims, eyes bulging. 

“Shhh,” Louis hisses, looking around them wildly. 

They’re in a lecture hall and there’s over a hundred people here - over a hundred people who definitely don’t need to know anything about his sex life, especially that it started only last week.

“Yes, we did. Get with the picture!” he whisper-yells to the beta who’s still gaping. “That’s not what we’re talking about right now. What we’re talking about is whether Harry’s said anything to you about me.” 

“About you two sleeping together?” Niall says, disbelief coating his voice. 

Louis sighs exasperatedly. _“Yes,”_ he says, “or anything at all, really.” 

Niall frowns, looking like he’s mulling it over. “Not recently,” he says, shrugging. 

Huffing, Louis tries to act unbothered by it. “Okay, so I really do have to ambush him,” he says to himself. 

“Oh boy,” Niall mutters. “You’ve got that look in your eye.” 

“What look?” 

“The one I have nightmares about,” Niall says, shaking his head. 

Louis shoots him a look, rolling his eyes. 

The rest of the lecture passes by excruciatingly slow, the professor's monotonous voice droning on for what feels like forever. When they’re finally free to go, Louis breathes out a sigh of relief. He says bye to Niall and rushes out of the room and the dull sluggish atmosphere. 

He’s thinking ahead to where he’s going to meet Zayn for lunch when someone calls his name. He stops short, not recognizing the voice, but still turning to see who it is. 

It’s Steven. An omega he’s spoken to a few times before in class and at various gatherings and parties. They don’t know each other that well though - certainly not well enough for him to actively seek Louis out. 

Still, he paints on a smile and tries to appear unconfused. “Hey, Steven!” he says brightly. 

“Hey, Lou!” he says, grinning wildly. And yeah, he’s definitely not on ‘Lou’ level, but Louis brushes it off anyway. 

“What can I do for you?” he asks, internally wary. 

“Oh nothing like that! I just overheard you talking to your beta friend about how you and Styles hooked up,” he says and Louis stiffens, cheeks turning red. Damn it Niall! “Just want to tell you congrats. He’s amazing, isn’t he?” 

Louis has stumbled upon a member of the Styles cult, oh Lord. 

“Uh, thanks,” he says stiffly, already inching backwards in an attempt to escape. 

But Steven isn’t finished. “I’ve been with him a few times and I swear it just gets better and better every time. He’s so rough. It’s _so_ hot,” he gushes, practically swooning before Louis’ very eyes. “When he asked me to call him you-know-what, I almost dropped to my knees right there.” 

Wrinkling a nose, Louis tries to end the conversation - except, wait… “He asked you to call him what?” he asks. 

“You _know_ what,” Steven repeats, smirking. 

Louis blinks. He really does not know what. “Remind me,” he says slowly. 

“‘Sir?’” Steven says, still smiling as if it isn’t strange. 

“Uh, what?” Louis asks, even as he feels his own heart rate pick up. _Sir?_ “He didn’t ask me to call him that.”

“Oh, he didn’t?” Steven asks, looking surprised but a bit pleased. “Well.” 

Clearing his throat, Louis gives the omega a thin smile. “I have to go meet my roommate. Thanks for, uh… Bye, Steven.”

“Bye, Lou!” he chirps, oblivious to the scowl Louis bites back. 

Even as Louis meets up with Zayn and talks about anything and everything but the conversation he had with Steven, it still replays in his head, _over and over._

Harry is apparently _rough_ in the bed. He hadn’t been like that with Louis - firm, sure, but not rough. It was probably the circumstances that mellowed him out - a courtesy for his inexperience. 

But Louis can’t help but _imagine_ nonetheless. Imagine what it’d feel like if Harry hadn’t held back - if Louis let him _take._

The idea makes him feel breathless, already agitated omega whining louder. It’s the loss, he thinks. He’s gotten a taste of what it feels like to be completely sated and now his omega is always hungry for more. 

And maybe Louis could find someone else. Could cozy up to that alpha from his Anatomy class who’s been paying more attention to Louis’ body than the artificial bodies they’re meant to be examining. Or his coworker at the bookstore who always asks Louis for recommendations and stares at his ass when he bends down to reorganize the lower shelves. 

He could ask a number of alphas, but it still doesn’t change the fact that there’s only one he _wants_ to ask. 

In other words, the stakes of his plan have grown just a bit.

-

Later that day, Louis finds himself offering to restock their limited fridge and shelf space by going on a grocery run at Trader Joe’s. 

He walks - it’s only five minutes away and it’s pleasant out, the sun shining and the sky hazy blue. There’s some wind but Louis dresses warm, skipping on each step. He’s got reusable bags in one hand and his phone in the other, music playing in his earbuds making him hum along out loud. 

Technically, he and Zayn don’t really _need_ to restock in anything. They both have a meal plan for the cafeteria and they’ve already got ramen, bread, and peanut butter - the staples. But Louis offered because he wanted to go. He’s stressed about a couple assignments and an essay he needs to finish tonight but he just can’t seem to focus. Getting out and about for a little while is always a good idea for being stuck, especially to somewhere familiar. 

The truth is, Louis finds Trader Joe’s comforting. 

It’s something about the atmosphere maybe, or security in being surrounded by locally and mostly organically grown foods that are somehow still decently affordable. Well, okay, maybe it’s a result of the fond memories he’s had in these same aisles. 

Shopping with his mom and making her hurry up so he could go to the back and see what samples were being served (cookie days were the best.) Going in for single bars of chocolate and other small items because the guy he liked was working the register and he wanted to talk to him. From days of pushing off shopping carts and smushing his face into the glass fridge doors in his youth to late evening runs for ice cream and candy during final season, Louis has found a little bit of joy within these four walls. 

So yeah, a grocery store establishment makes him happy. And what about it? 

Though he tries to focus on the music and savor the sunlight because it’s been weeks of gray skies and murky clouds, but, once again, he finds his thoughts straying back to his conversation with Steven. The omega said he had slept with Harry _multiple_ times. 

And, of course, he can’t help but wonder if he could have the same. 

He’s so distracted by these musings and the _Lumineers_ playing in his ear that he doesn’t see the figure in front of him. He crashes into a firm chest, arms flailing for balance as he nearly tips right over. A hand curls around his shoulder and steadies him. 

“Thank -”

As if summoned by the universe itself, Louis glances up to see _Harry_ regarding him apprehensively. 

“What’re you doing here?” he blurts. He hasn’t even enacted any of the phases to his plan yet. But here Harry is, standing in front of him in his trademark flannel and jeans, a snapback perched backwards on his head. 

Harry raises an eyebrow. He gestures to the store, “Getting groceries?” 

“Oh,” Louis says. “Right.” 

“And I assume you are too?” Harry asks. 

“Uh… yeah,” Louis says carefully, having debated the potential repercussions of telling someone that a grocery store establishment is one of his ‘happy places.’ “I compliment you on your choice of shop,” he says, trying to act normal. 

“Well, actually this is my first time here, so,” Harry says, chuckling. 

Louis blinks, too taken aback by the realization that Harry is actually speaking to him for the words to process quickly. When it does, he gapes. _“You’ve never been to Trader Joe’s?”_ he shrieks. 

Harry seems taken aback, eyeing Louis cautiously. He makes it worse when he decides to open his mouth. “Er, s’just a grocery store isn’t it?”

Eye twitching, Louis takes a deep breath. “No, Harry, it’s not _just_ a grocery store, it’s an _experience,”_ he says, planting his hands on his hips. “This is… disgraceful.” 

“Uh, sorry?” Harry says, grinning. 

Shaking his head, Louis grabs his hand. “You have to go inside right now before I lose my tolerance. This is _ridiculous.”_

Harry’s hand stiffens in his and he grimaces. “Uh, I have a long list,” he says, clearly making an excuse to get away. Well, Louis is finished with those. 

“I don’t mind,” he counters, arching a brow. “You took my virginity so let me take yours in return.” 

The alpha looks amused by that. “My Trader Joe’s virginity,” he repeats, looking at Louis like he’s insane but also fascinating. “Alright then, rock my world, Louis.” 

“I intend to,” Louis says, smiling mischievously. 

He makes Harry hand over his list so he can lead the way, the alpha trailing behind him with the cart and an amused expression. 

They go to produce first, and Louis scoffs when he sees avocados on the list. “Most disgusting fruit to ever exist,” he mutters. 

“Aren’t avocados a California trademark?” Harry asks, lips twitching as he moves to find the freshest ones. Louis stays a safe distance away, wrinkling his nose. 

“More like an LA trademark and I think we’ve established how I feel about that,” Louis sniffs. When it comes to the NorCal vs SoCal debate, there’s only one clear answer and Louis will defend it to his last breath. “Oh God, _kale?_ That’s even worse, Styles.” 

“Kale is good for you,” Harry says, shooting him a look. “‘S for smoothies.” 

“You and Liam and your weird health thing,” Louis mutters. “Just for that, we’re buying chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. And candy. Y’know, Trader Joe’s candy is known for having a cult-like following.” 

“Well, _that’s_ reassuring.” 

They continue talking and joking around as they cross items off of Harry’s list and also Louis’, their cart filling up in tune with Louis’ mood. It feels so natural and easy, is the thing. Like he and Harry go grocery shopping together all the time. 

It feels like they’re friends hanging out - a hint of what could be in the future if they wanted. Louis purses his lips as they turn into an aisle, on the hunt for pasta sauce. 

“I’m glad you stopped ignoring me,” he comments when Harry pauses in his long-winded story about when he and his friends went camping at Enchanted Rock in Texas. 

Harry glances at him, startled. “What?” he says, brows furrowing. “I wasn’t -” He breaks off, grimacing. “Okay, fine, I was ignoring you.” 

Louis snorts. “Still don’t know why,” he can’t help but say, his curiosity and lack of subtlety having always been his biggest flaw. 

“It was just… awkward,” he says. 

“Wow,” Louis says. “Great, thanks.” 

“No - not because it was bad or anything,” Harry rushes, eyes widening. “It was the exact opposite, really, uh. It’s just… difficult.” 

“Difficult?” Louis asks, frowning. “Why?” 

Harry turns to stare at him in disbelief. “You know why,” he says, sounding almost accusing. 

“Uhh, no I do not,” Louis says slowly. “Why is it difficult to communicate with a friend properly?”

The alpha seems to flinch at the word ‘friend,’ brows dipping and lips thinning into a frown. “You don’t understand,” he says. 

“What don’t I understand?” Louis asks, scoffing. “Please. Enlighten me.” Distantly, he realizes they’re standing in the middle of the aisle, and though there’s no one in there with them, they’re still in public and shouldn’t be arguing so childishly. Yet he can’t help the indignation rising in him when Harry shakes his head, looking at him like he’s crazy. 

“You’re _different,_ Lou. That’s why,” Harry grits angrily. 

“I’m different,” he repeats, eyes blazing. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” 

“Not - fuck, you don’t even know,” Harry says, before laughing bitterly. “God, I can’t talk about this. Ask Liam. He’ll explain it to you.” 

“What does Liam know?” Louis asks, brows furrowing. 

Harry just shakes his head again, grip tightening on the cart. When he speaks, his voice is emotionless. “The pasta sauce is over there. Let’s go.” 

Louis aches to continue pressing for information but he can see the stubborn set to Harry’s jaw which tells him that he won’t get very far, no matter how persuasive he is. “Fine,” he says flatly. “Enjoy your fucking pasta.” 

They find the remaining items in silence, gazes fixed pointedly away from the other as they get in line. Louis drops five chocolate bars into the cart, watching the way Harry’s eye twitches. He still doesn’t say anything, brooding. 

Outside, they part ways without another word. Louis is practically vibrating with his frustration and annoyance. Who does Harry think he is? And what the hell was he talking about? 

_Ask Liam. He’ll explain it to you._

Lips curling into a grimace, Louis pulls out his phone to make a call. 

Curiosity really always is his biggest flaw. 

-

“So what was your question?” Liam asks, taking a seat at the table. 

Louis takes a sip of his juice, making a face. He’s really never been into the smoothie/juice trend in general, but he figured he might as well try one, especially with Niall’s employee discount (the beta is currently working the register and trying not to stare at Crazy Carrie). 

The one he got is called the _Immunity_ juice with orange, grapefruit, lemon, ginger, and cayenne. Let’s just say, he’s not a fan. Pushing the glass away with a grimace, he faces Liam seriously. “Harry said I should ask you why I’m ‘different’ and that you’d explain it to me.” It’s been over eighteen hours since they had the conversation but remembering still makes him scowl. 

Liam stares at him, obviously bewildered. “What?” 

With a sigh, he tries to explain. “So basically, Harry and I slept together,” he starts. 

“Oh God, no details please,” Liam says, blanching. 

He rolls his eyes. “Just _listen,_ for fuck’s sake.” When Liam holds his hands up in surrender, he continues, “We slept together and then he ignored me for a week until I bumped into him at Trader Joe’s and asked him why. He said some shit about how it was ‘difficult,’ because I was ‘different.’ He told me to ask you what it meant and that you’d explain it to me.” He takes a deep breath, looking at the alpha expectantly. 

“Oh,” Liam says, looking surprised. “Hang on a second, what exactly happened between you two?”

“I just told you,” Louis grumbles. “We slept -“

“No, not that,” Liam interrupts, a thoughtful expression on his face. He pauses to take a sip of his own smoothie (looking very unnaturally green and unappetizing in Louis’ opinion) before saying, “I meant with you two in relationship-wise.”

“Relationship what now?” Louis asks, arching a brow. “There is no relationship. I asked him to fuck me and he did.” 

“Yeah, but,” Liam starts, looking confused, “what about when he told you?” He stills, realization passing over his face. “Oh shit, he didn’t tell you, did he? And he wants _me_ to tell you, Jesus Christ.” 

“Tell me what?” Louis urges, curiosity at an all time high. “Liam, I swear to God -“ 

“That he has a crush on you,” Liam interjects. 

Louis stops short. Blinks. Processes. Sputters. 

“What do you mean he has a crush on me?” he shrieks, heart pounding. 

“I mean exactly what I said,” Liam says, looking so nonplussed that Louis sort of wants to smack him. “Since the beginning of first semester really.”

“But -” Louis fumbles for a different answer - something more reasonable and realistic. “How?” he chokes. 

“Uh, I don’t think there’s a real explanation for these sorts of things, Lou,” Liam chuckles. Louis definitely wants to smack him. “All I know is that he told me back in November when we went to that party at Sam’s and got wasted. You actually came that time and Harry couldn’t stop gushing about how pretty you are and how good you smell.”

Louis gapes. He tries to think back to the party he’s talking about, remembering blurry polaroids, dancing until his feet ached, and lots of shots. Did he even talk to Harry that night? 

_Yes,_ he realizes. He did talk to Harry. He had been wearing a striped blue and white shirt and Harry spilled his drink all over it, undoubtedly tripping over those long legs of his with ease especially under the influence. He had apologized profusely and Louis had reassured him, then gratefully accepted the jacket Harry offered to cover it up since he didn’t have a shirt. They spoke maybe five sentences to each other but now Louis can’t help but wonder if Harry had been heading towards him with something else in mind. 

Can’t help but wonder how his past self would have reacted. What could have happened. 

But. 

“There’s no way,” he blurts, shaking his head. “Why would Harry be into _me?”_ It’s not a self-deprecating statement by any means - more so a logical one. He and Harry barely know each other. They’ve got little in common, and therefore less to talk about. Harry’s got his choice of a dozen different omegas - it just doesn’t really make sense. 

“Again, there’s not really an explanation for these sorts of things. You can’t choose who draws you in,” Liam shrugs. “But for Harry, it’s you.” He glances at Louis with a frown. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell you. He’s been psyching himself up for it for a while now and this was the perfect opportunity.” 

“This is - this is insane,” Louis says, blinking rapidly as if any second now he’ll awaken from a dream. “Why _didn’t_ he tell me?” It comes out without him meaning to, but he can’t get it out of his head. 

“So you like him back?” Liam asks, looking relieved. 

“No - well,” Louis says, hesitating. He bites his lip. “I don’t know,” he says helplessly. His heart rate picks up a bit, and he finds himself grabbing the abandoned smoothie and gulping down a few more sips, letting the less than desirable taste distract him from the revelation. 

Liam checks his phone, frowning. “I have to meet for a study group in twenty minutes. Are you okay, Lou?”

“Yeah, go ahead,” Louis hurries, shaking his head. “I, um, thanks. For telling me. I’ll… keep that in mind.” He cringes right after, feeling flustered. 

Giving him a strange look, Liam nods. He purses his lips, eyes flickering down to the table. “Just.. just don’t hurt his feelings, Lou. Alright? He _really_ likes you.” 

Louis gawks. “Liam! I would never!” He’s slightly offended Liam would think that, but he supposes he’d act the same if the situation was vice-versa and it was Louis in Harry's place. “Seriously,” he adds firmly. 

“Okay,” Liam says, nodding again. They say goodbye and Liam leaves him sitting alone at the table. Louis catches Niall’s eye, brushing him off when he mouths, _Everything okay?_

Stirring his own drink absently, he mentally goes over every interaction he’s had with Harry. It suddenly feels he’s been blind this whole time and his vision has finally returned. He remembers lingering looks and soft eyes, remembers the reluctance when he first asked Harry. _I can’t be your casual and quick._

And suddenly he feels nauseous. 

He was wrong, is the thing. He had been thinking this entire time that Harry wasn’t into relationships but the reality is, just because he has sex frequently doesn’t mean he’s looking for commitment any less. Louis had just assumed. He and Zayn both. He had assumed and now he’s completely taken off guard. 

It makes sense, though. It makes so much sense. Harry likes him. Harry likes him and that’s why things are so awkward between them now. Because he agreed to take Louis’ virginity and he _likes_ him. It all makes sense. 

There’s just one question left now. 

What does this mean for him? 

-

“Best friend emergency, code red,” Louis announces upon entering the dorm. 

“Oh boy,” Zayn mutters, putting his book down. “What happened this time?” 

“Did you know,” Louis says, turning to face him with wide eyes, “that Harry has a _crush_ on me!” 

Zayn’s mouth drops open a little. “He does?” 

The fact that Zayn is just as taken aback as him feels a bit reassuring so Louis takes a deep breath, trying to find his calm. “He has a crush on me and that’s why he’s been avoiding me after we slept together. He has a crush on me!” 

“Well, shit,” Zayn says. “I didn’t see that coming.” Louis shoots him a look and he adds hastily, “Not that it doesn’t make sense.” 

_“Anyways,”_ Louis stresses. “What am I supposed to do now?” 

“So you don’t like him?” Zayn asks. 

“Do I?” Louis asks. He realizes Zayn thinks he’s joking so he repeats, “Do I like Harry Styles?” 

Zayn looks at him with an arched brow. “Why are you asking me to answer that?

“You knew with Niall!” Louis exclaims. He knows he’s _attracted_ to Harry - the sheer amount of times he’s woken up breathless and whimpering at phantom ache between his legs in the past week being the clearest proof, along with the fact that Harry checks all the boxes for him in terms of appeal. He’d sleep with him again in a heartbeat. But does he _like_ him? “And you said I liked him last Friday! When you were rambling on about how I got ‘attached.’”

“Yeah, well, I have my suspicions,” Zayn shrugs. “But _clearly,_ they’re wrong sometimes. The only person who can answer that is yourself.” 

“But I don’t know!” Louis says, near hysterical. He dramatically flops onto the bed, groaning out loud and ignoring Zayn’s eye roll. 

“Well, what do you feel when you look at him?” Zayn asks carefully. 

Louis turns onto his side, mulling it over. “I feel… I dunno. It depends? Sometimes it’s excitement, sometimes dread. And like… there’s this weird fluttery feeling inside me? I don’t know what it is, but I hate it.”

Zayn gapes at him. “Nervous,” he chokes, looking shocked. “He makes you feel nervous.” 

Stiffening, Louis grimaces. “No - that’s not -” He breaks off, a sinking realization falling over him. He looks at Zayn in horror. “Harry Styles makes me feel nervous!” This is _wrong -_ Louis doesn’t get nervous. He makes _others_ nervous. That’s the way it’s always been. “This is horrible, Z. This is a disaster!” 

“Not necessarily,” Zayn says slowly. “Y’know, being nervous around someone is one of the biggest signs of having a crush.” 

“But - I’ve never felt nervous around other crushes before,” Louis sputters, gesturing wildly. “Maybe _giddy,_ but never anything like this. Maybe it’s not a crush and Harry just repels me.”

“Louis,” Zayn rolls his eyes. 

“It’s a genuine possibility!” 

“Okay, let’s try something else. List five things you like about him,” Zayn suggests. 

“His scent,” Louis says immediately. “His smile. His eyes. His curls. His di -”

“Okay,” Zayn interrupts, looking disgusted. “Let’s limit it to non-physical things.”

Louis expects to not be able to come up with anything. He barely knows Harry, and spends a very limited amount of time with him. But it all comes out without hesitation, “How kind and genuine he is. How he’s a bit of a dork yet somehow so confident and charming at the same time. How he makes anyone he’s around feel safe and special. That he didn’t complain when I went off on a five minute tangent about the nervous system yesterday at Trader Joe’s and that he listened to the entire thing without interrupting. The way he says my name.” He breaks off when he realizes that was five but there’s more pushing at his lips, clawing up his throat. 

He looks at Zayn who’s wearing a smug expression. “I like Harry Styles?” he asks weakly. 

“You like Harry Styles,” Zayn repeats, nodding. 

“Well, fuck,” Louis says, face-planting into the mattress.

“Uh,” Zayn says slowly. “Lou, you do realize he likes you back, right? This is a good thing.” 

“Yeah, well, I still have to _tell_ him,” Louis grumbles. “You know I don’t like to be the one who instigates things.”

Zayn stares at him in disbelief. “Louis, you _love_ being the one to instigate things.” 

“Not like this,” Louis hisses, sitting up abruptly. “Not when Harry makes me feel _nervous.”_

“Just come up with another plan,” Zayn shrugs. 

Another plan. Laying back with a sigh, Louis thinks. His eyes flutter shut and he thinks about the alpha, thinks about how he indulges Louis’ crazy ideas and opinions, how he’s so gentle and caring, how he looks at Louis like he’s the ‘loveliest thing he’s ever seen.’ How he’s the only one who’s made Louis feel unsteady on his feet, yet he’s the only one who can catch him if he falls.

How they could be _really_ good together. If he just showed him… 

Heart pounding in his chest, he scoots to sit at the edge of the bed. “I have an idea,” he says, exhaling. 

“Great,” Zayn says brightly. “I wish you the best of luck.” 

“I’m going to need your help,” Louis says, biting his lip sheepishly. 

“Oh no,” Zayn says, shaking his head. “You know I support your antics - er, tolerate them at the very least - but I am _not_ getting involved in this.” 

“Listen, it’s a simple one. _Really,_ ” Louis defends, scowling when Zayn launches a pillow at him. “Just another slideshow!” 

“A slideshow?” Zayn repeats dubiously. “Then why do you need _my_ help?” 

Louis smiles mischievously. 

“Oh God,” Zayn mutters, but he still listens as Louis explains what he wants to happen and then begrudgingly agrees to help. 

“This could go very wrong,” he still warns Louis.

“But it can also go very right,” Louis says decidedly. “And in a situation like this, you have to think about how worth it something is.” He pauses, biting his lip. “I think this alpha is worth it, Z.”

Zayn eyes him softly, before nodding. “Okay then. Let’s get your alpha, Lou.” 

-

Friday rolls around again with another frat party Louis really doesn’t want to go to. However, he _is_ going, because Harry is going to be there. 

Harry Styles. Alpha, business major, music minor, Liam’s roommate, and the man of Louis’ dreams. 

The plan is in motion and Louis feels confident. 

He also feels overwhelmingly nervous. It’s simmering under his skin as he gets ready, sliding on the same shirt he had worn two months ago at that party at Sam’s - it just feels fitting. He puts on his best jeans and spends a ridiculous amount of time fussing with his hair, even going as far as to brush some lip gloss over his lips. Then he grabs his dingiest pair of vans (one can never be too careful with frat parties) and takes a deep breath as he appraises himself one final time in the mirror. 

It’s sort of crazy to think that even though he’s not the biggest fan of them, it’s only been two weeks since his last party - that it’s only been two weeks since he approached Harry to tell him his proposition. 

Two weeks and look how much has changed. He’s not a virgin anymore, for one, but that’s not even what he’s talking about. He’s talking about how his mind - how his heart has changed. 

“Ready?” Zayn asks, breaking him out of his reverie. 

Reaching into his pocket to squeeze a familiar flash drive, he nods. “Let’s do this.” 

It’s crowded inside, as expected, and Louis and Zayn have to squeeze their way past the entry hall, through the living room, and to the kitchen where Liam told them he’d bring Harry by in about -

Louis glances down at his phone, throat dry. 

Five minutes. 

Taking a deep breath, he turns to Zayn. “It’s coming right?” 

The omega nods, eyes peering past his shoulder before lighting up. “See, there’s Alex with the projector.” 

He turns to see the alpha who has multiple art classes with Zayn, the omega gushing about her talent all the time, eyes flickering down to the bright green portable projector she holds in her hands. 

“Still have no clue what’s going on here, but here,” she says when she reaches them, handing it off to Zayn who thanks her. “Just be careful with it,” she warns, before smiling at Louis and then walking away. 

“Where do you want to put it?” Zayn asks, turning to Louis. 

Biting his lip, he surveys the room. There’s a few people hanging around - sitting on the counters or rummaging through the coolers of beers. His eyes snag on a blank section of the wall that should fit the slideshow with no issues. “Right there,” he murmurs, eyes darting around to find a free chair he can stand on. 

Not because he’s short - just for convenience. Of course. 

It takes a few minutes for him to connect his phone to the projector, hands fumbling with the cord as he plugs the adapter in. With a deep breath, he pulls up the powerpoint. 

Zayn is standing by the entrance, acting as look-out. 

He glances at his phone. Any minute now Harry will be walking into the room with Liam, completely unaware of what he’ll find. It’s been half a week since Louis saw him at Trader Joe’s and they haven’t seen each other since. There’s no way he’ll be able to see this coming. 

On cue, Zayn’s eyes widen and tilts his head at Louis, signalling. 

_Shit,_ Louis thinks, because he can feel his heart begin to race again, the sound deafening in his ears. His stomach churns, a queasy feeling clawing up his throat. Nervousness. Blowing air out between his teeth, he squeezes his eyes shut and straightens up. 

_I don’t get nervous,_ he thinks. It comes out unsure even in his mind, but he repeats it. Fake it till you make it, and all that. 

Liam steps into the room first and Louis hurries into position, wiping his hands on his jeans. _You’ve got this,_ he tells himself. 

But then Harry steps into the room, and the nerves increase tenfold. His head is turned to Zayn as they greet each other so he hasn’t seen Louis yet, but it’s only a matter of time. 

Louis’ heart seizes when Harry finally does look around, freezing when his eyes fall on Louis. His mouth straightens into a line, a wary expression on his face. 

In the background, Zayn shuts the door and Liam takes a seat at the table. There’s still a small group of people in the room and they’ve somehow clued into the fact that something’s occurring, conversations lulling as they turn to stare at Louis curiously.

With one last deep breath, Louis presses the button to turn on the projector. 

The first slide appears magnified on the wall and Louis watches Harry take it in, mouth dropping open in surprise. His eyes snap towards Louis in awe and disbelief, and suddenly Louis doesn’t feel so nervous anymore. 

Clearing his throat, he begins. “Ten reasons Harry Styles should date Louis Tomlinson.” 

Harry is staring at him now, so stunned that he looks a bit lost. Like he can’t quite believe it. Louis can’t help but feel endeared, maintaining direct eye contact as he presses the button for the next slide. 

_‘#1: Harry likes Louis,’_ it says. 

“According to a trusted source by the name of Liam Payne,” he starts, voice unwavering. The longer Harry looks at him, the less unsteady he feels. Even though the expression on Harry’s face is now unreadable, it’s still open and his eyes are gentle. It feels _right._ “Mr. Harry Styles has admitted to his feelings for Louis in the past. At a party back in November when he was under the influence, but he still confirmed it again sober the next morning. Since he likes him so much, it seems obvious that the next step would be pursuing a relationship.” 

He presses the next button. _‘#2: Louis really likes Harry.’_

Another deep breath. And even though he’s not nervous anymore, he still shyly focuses on the counter in front of him rather than the alpha whose eyes are boring into his figure. “On the good authority of Louis Tomlinson himself, those feelings Harry has are completely reciprocated.” He lifts his head to meet Harry’s eyes, fixed on him intensely. “It may have taken him awhile to realize it, but now he knows. And he’s really sure about it.” 

Before he can continue, Harry moves. 

He comes around the island to where Louis is standing on a chair, brows furrowed and lips pulled into a line. Louis jumps down to the floor and straightens up, preparing himself for the worst as the alpha stalks towards him, distance between them growing shorter and shorter into nothing at all. 

“Okay, just so you know, this could have been avoided if you let me -” His hurried placations break off into a gasp when Harry reaches out to cup his face, pulling him into a kiss. 

Letting out a surprised sound, his fingers curl into Harry’s biceps as Harry slides one arm around his waist and keeps his other hand cradling the side of his jaw, holding him so carefully yet tightly. He feels dizzy when Harry finally pulls back, blinking rapidly to regain his bearings as rosewood and ginger overtakes his senses. 

“You didn’t even let me finish,” Louis pouts. He had eight other slides that he spent way too much time thinking out and then decorating. 

Harry grins at him, wide and happy. “You can show me the rest some other time,” he murmurs, thumb brushing over Louis’ cheekbone. “Can’t believe you made me a slideshow. _Again.”_

Louis hums, pushing into the touch. “Simple but effective,” he murmurs. 

The other people in the room seem to have gone back to their own things as well as Liam and Zayn who give them thumbs up before exiting the room, leaving Louis and Harry to their little huddle of bliss. Louis wouldn’t mind if they were standing in front of the entire school anyway. With Harry holding him close, he feels the farthest from nervous he has been around the alpha ever. 

“Will you go out with me, Lou?” Harry asks then, pulling him from his thoughts with the gentle timbre of his voice. 

“Hey,” he mumbles, still a bit dazed from the feeling of Harry’s lips pressed to his. “I was supposed to ask _you._ ” 

“Too bad, baby,” Harry says, still stroking over his cheek with a big thumb. “What do you say?”

Louis sighs dramatically. “I suppose so.”

Harry just grins before leaning in and pressing his lips to Louis’ forehead, his cheeks, his nose, and finally his mouth again. 

His hands slide under Louis’ sweater and he can’t help the whimper that works its way up his throat, much too loud for their public setting. Harry smirks at the sound, palms warm against his skin as he runs them up and down his sides. 

“Stop it,” Louis pulls back to complain weakly, but he doesn’t make any movements to push Harry away, instead nuzzling up into Harry’s neck and purring when the alpha kisses his temple three times in quick succession. 

He glances at the projector. “Can’t believe…” He breaks off, shaking his head. “Can’t believe you did this.” 

“You’re worth it,” Louis says seriously. 

Harry makes a noise, slotting their lips together again. This time his hands slide to Louis’ hips for purchase before he hoists him up, setting him down on the counter behind them and fitting between his parted legs.

Louis sighs into the kiss, hands reaching up to tangle his fingers in Harry’s hair and tug him impossibly closer. He feels breathless and content, comforting and safe pheromones sinking into his skin and making him go limp with contentment. 

And Harry keeps him steady, one hand stroking down his back over the thin material of his shirt and the other cradling his jaw and rubbing circles into his cheek, holding him like he’s something precious. 

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” Louis can’t help but ask. “You had to get Liam to tell me,” Louis adds, jabbing a finger in Harry’s chest as he tuts. “Liam!”

Harry has the decency to look sheepish. “I just couldn’t do it. You make me nervous,” he says. 

Well, isn’t that poetic. 

“I wish you would have said something sooner,” Louis says, closing his eyes and leaning into Harry’s hand, “but this was fun too.” 

“I honestly thought there was no way you didn’t already know,” Harry admits. “I feel like I’ve been very transparent. When you asked me for something ‘casual and quick,’ I almost thought you were mocking me.” 

“I’ve always been a bit oblivious,” Louis says, heart aching as he nudges his nose into Harry’s cheek. “I didn’t think you did relationships, but it was wrong of me to just assume that.” 

“I’ve always been a bit of a romantic,” Harry reveals. “S’just hard to find someone. And I enjoy sex so I have a lot of it. When I’m with someone seriously, then it’s easier to fulfill those needs, but when I’m single and don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea, I have to switch around. Doesn’t mean I’m looking for something real any less.” 

“You’re right,” Louis whispers. “I was stupid to just assume.” He smiles when Harry kisses his cheek. “Should have guessed it sooner. You’re just a big ol’ softie looking for someone to smother.” 

“And now I can smother you,” Harry murmurs, squeezing him around the middle as he peppers kisses over Louis’ face. 

He laughs over the assault, trying to push him away. “Get off,” he says, giggling. 

The way his legs stay locked around Harry’s waist, not letting him move away, contradicts the plea but Harry lets him get away with it, just pressing their lips together again like he can’t handle being parted from them for too long. 

Louis has a feeling that Harry will let him get away with a lot from now on. 

-

The sky is hazy orange and blue when they walk to Harry’s dorm building. Louis tugs his jacket - _Harry’s_ jacket which the alpha insisted he take the moment he started shivering during the car ride - around him tighter and huddles closer to Harry’s side, letting his warmth bleed in through the fabric. 

Their hands are linked and Harry swings them between their bodies as he opens the door for Louis to enter first, ever the gentleman. He starts leading them to the stairs, and it becomes clear when they pass Louis’ floor that they’re headed for his and Liam’s. The desire that’s been building in Louis’ body since he first got a taste of what sexual satisfaction felt like flares up in him. 

He pauses in the hallway, Harry following suit immediately once he realizes. 

“So, we’re going to yours,” he says coyly, reaching up to mess with the collar of Harry’s flannel. The alpha’s lips quirk up at the ends, and then he gently takes Louis’ hand away from his chest and holds it in his own again, squeezing.

“Yes, but we’re not doing anything today,” he says firmly. “You can sleep over if you want and I’ll cuddle you as much as you’d like but nothing else. I want to wait until after I take you out properly. We should do this ri -” He’s interrupted when Louis lets out a soft growl. 

He blinks at Louis, stunned. His lips twitch before spreading into a slow grin. “Did you just - did you just _growl_ at me?” 

“So what if I did,” Louis dismisses, pouting.

“That was probably the cutest thing I’ve ever heard,” Harry says, completely serious. “Everything about you is so unfairly adorable.”

“I am _not_ adorable,” Louis says, narrowing his eyes, “and neither are my growls.” He bares his teeth and growls again.

Harry just grins wider, looking so endeared. “Oh my God, you’re so cute.”

“Stop it,” Louis protests, even though there’s warmth curling inside him, blooming across his body. He blinks when Harry moves closer, peering down at him with that half-smile. 

“Cutest omega in the world,” Harry coos, reaching out to boop his nose. Louis tries to bite his finger when he does but he’s blushing.

“Well, the cutest omega in all the land wants you to fuck him,” Louis murmurs, detangling their hands to rush ahead, giggling when Harry lets out a disgruntled sound and follows quick on his heels. 

“But, baby, you’re not that kind of omega,” he says mock-seriously. 

“I am that type of omega,” Louis counters, arching a brow as he turns to lean up against the wall next to Harry and Liam’s door. “The kind of omega that knows what he wants. And he wants your cock.”

“Jesus,” Harry mutters. “You’re a handful,”

“Two handfuls actually,” Louis corrects with a smirk. 

Harry shoots him a warning glare as he opens the door, and it only serves to make Louis push harder. 

They step into the room and Louis rocks up onto his toes to wind his arms around Harry’s neck. “You know you want to,” he sings, nose brushing Harry’s.

“Oh baby, you _know_ I want to,” he says, ducking down to peck Louis’ lips as he curls his own arms around his slim waist. “But we’re still not doing anything today.” 

It only takes a moment of hesitation before he's blinking his eyes languidly, knowing his lashes look amazing tonight. His lips open as he strains up to whisper in Harry’s ear. 

“Please, sir.” 

Harry’s breathing hitches and his body tenses, eyes a darkening. When he speaks, his voice comes out hoarse and deep. “What did you say?” 

Louis swallows, shivering from the suddenly heavy timbre of the alpha’s voice. “I said,” he rasps, “please, sir.”

A dozen different emotions seem to pass over Harry’s face as they stand there, and then he just _snaps._

He lets out a growl, nothing like the one Louis let out before. No, this one is low and powerful. Louis’ first instinct is to bare his neck and his next is to run… but only because he wants Harry to chase him. 

But he doesn’t even take two steps backwards before Harry is crashing into him and pressing him back against the wall, sliding a leg between his. 

“You _naughty_ omega,” Harry grunts, wasting no time in nosing up his throat and radiating his own heavenly pheromones so strongly that Louis can feel them sink into his skin and embed themselves in his senses. “Who told you about that?”

“No one,” Louis murmurs, shuddering when Harry grazes his teeth up the muscle of his neck. “The real question is why didn’t you ask me to call you that?” 

Harry is breathing harshly, hands twitching on Louis’ hips. “I usually only ask the ones who I have a casual arrangement with,” he murmurs, thumb sliding under Louis’ shirt. “Plus, I didn’t want to overwhelm you when it was your first time.” 

“Well…” Louis says slowly, curling his arms around Harry’s neck. “It’s not my first time anymore.” 

He sees the exact moment Harry’s resolve begins to crack, eyes flickering to the skin of Louis’ neck when he bares it, irises darkening with lust. He leans in and drags his mouth down the column of his throat again, nostrils flaring as his scent grows stronger and swirls around them. He’s still holding himself back though, body rigid against Louis’. 

Louis licks his lips and shatters the remaining hesitation with two words: “Please, _Alpha.”_

A low groan rumbles from Harry’s chest, hitting all of Louis’ most vulnerable parts. His remaining hesitation seems to vanish into thin air, and then he’s pressing his lips to Louis’, swallowing the surprised whimper he elicits. 

Big hands slide down to his ass, squeezing unashamedly. 

“I told you,” Louis mumbles into Harry’s mouth, pushing back into the touch. “Two handfuls.” 

Harry kisses him silent, tongue slipping in between Louis’ lips. He starts walking them backwards towards the bed and Louis rejoices, but his smugness fades quickly as Harry bites his bottom lip, making him whine. 

Next thing he knows, he’s laying flat on the bed, arms laced around Harry’s neck as the alpha presses him down against the mattress. He can feel a wave of slick soak through his underwear, the smell growing thick in the air and making Harry grunt into his ear. 

Their clothes come off quickly, desperation almost a tangible breathing creature between them. Suddenly it feels way too warm in here, fingers pressing into bare skin and heat pooling between their bodies. 

Louis feels dizzy and blissful when Harry kisses a path down his torso, pausing to lick and nip at his belly button until he’s squirming and arching up, begging for something only Harry can give him. 

He spreads Louis’ legs and dives in for a quick taste, groaning as he laps at the now steady stream of slick soaking through the sheets. Louis curls his fingers into the bed and grits his teeth, needy noises spilling from his lips against his wishes. 

It seems to egg Harry on, the alpha only lingering a bit longer before easing a finger into his entrance along with it. He wipes his mouth and then kisses Louis again, the remnants of cinnamon and sugar on his tongue making Louis feel light-headed. Everything’s moving so fast, but it feels like the moment their lips touch, it all slows down. 

All Louis can focus on is Harry - his touch, his smell, everything about him. He lets the alpha ground him, pleads sliding from his mouth into Harry’s as he opens Louis up with three fingers now. He didn’t even notice when one became more, everything blurring together except the sharp shoots of pleasure burning through his entire body. 

“So pretty, baby,” Harry mumbles into his lips. “‘M so lucky.” 

_No, I am,_ he wants to say back, but he doesn’t think he has the ability, rendered to a soft golden scape beyond speech. He thinks Harry knows, anyway - can feel it in the way he digs his nails into his shoulders and then his back, trying to leave imprints that’ll remind Harry that he took such good care of him. 

Always takes such good care of him. 

When Harry grips his own cock, Louis snaps out of the daze, biting his lip. 

“Wait,” he says. “Uh, are you still - are you clean?” He winces, not wanting to offend Harry, but still needing to ask. The thought of him being with others now seems so _wrong._ But now he has Louis. Now he doesn’t need them. 

“Yeah,” Harry says immediately - consolingly, “yeah, I - I haven’t slept with anyone else since you.” 

Louis blinks, a peculiar feeling swelling in his heart. It’s been less than two weeks so it’s not exactly a _long_ time or anything, but it’s still something. _Since you._

“Since us,” he corrects. “Get in me then.”

“What’s that?” Harry asks, halting his movements and staring at him expectantly. 

“Please, sir,” Louis corrects, impatience bubbling up the longer it takes Harry to get back over him and then in him. 

Harry just smirks, palming at his cock lazily as he leans back over to connect their lips. Louis spreads his legs wider, waiting for Harry to get the hint, but the alpha just takes his sweet time, getting distracted by Louis’ neck for a bit before Louis finally loses patience and bites him in the shoulder. 

“Geez, your teeth are sharp,” Harry mutters, but somehow he sounds more endeared by it than annoyed.

And then _finally,_ his hands settle at Louis’ hips and he aligns himself, the head of his cock smearing precum over Louis’ thigh and making him shiver in anticipation.

“Are you ready, baby?” Harry asks, ducking down and kissing his neck. 

“Yes,” Louis breathes. “Yes, sir.” 

For once not hesitating, Harry begins easing in slowly. It’s still a tight stretch and Louis has to grit his teeth, eyes squeezing shut as he grasps for Harry’s hands desperately. 

Harry soothes him softly, enveloping his hands and coaxing him through it. “You can take it, darlin’. Doing so well for me,” he murmurs. 

His eyes are burning by the time Harry finally bottoms out, but he can feel the thread of pleasure slowly weaving in amidst the main and discomfort and he focuses on that. “Fuck me, Alpha,” he pleads, voice rasping. “Please, sir.” 

“Alright, baby,” Harry murmurs, slowly sliding out. 

Their lips meet yet again as he carves out a rhythm, hands holding Louis’ above his head like last time, but tighter. He’s more forceful than last time too, the bed creaking with every thrust as he finds some momentum, goaded by Louis’ moans. 

Louis already feels embarrassingly close, each tight drag of Harry’s cock making him shudder with pleasure. His cock is trapped between their stomachs, sliding against skin as Harry pushes closer into him. “Feels good,” he slurs. 

“Yeah, baby?” Harry asks. “Makin’ you feel good?”

“Always make me feel good,” he babbles nonsensically. “Alpha.” He doesn’t even mean to keep saying it, but it’s completely natural - like his inner omega just _knows._

It feels right. 

Harry nails his prostate not long after, making Louis cry out. He maintains the angle and presses in faster and faster, biting down on Louis’ bottom lip and murmuring, “C’mon, baby. Give it to me, sweetheart.” 

A familiar heat grows in his stomach, spreading outward as he nears the edge. He whines, nails digging into skin and toes curling into the sheets. Harry ducks down to mouth at his nipple and that’s all it takes. 

He comes with a choked off moan, a tremor wracking his body. 

The alpha praises him endlessly, chasing his own release as his knot begins to swell at the base and his hips stutter. Louis prepares himself for the burn this time, teeth sinking into his lip as it catches on his rim and locks. 

A whimper pushes at his lips at the feeling of being filled up, head lolling back and eyes rolling back into his head. Harry noses at his neck, scenting him comfortingly until the tension drains out of his shoulders and he finally relaxes. 

“Good?” he asks when Louis sighs contentedly. 

“Amazing,” Louis breathes dreamily, eyes opening to meet Harry’s. The alpha is smiling at him softly, cradling his face tenderly. 

It was intense and rough - _so_ much rougher than last time, but still gentle. Louis’ beginning to think he understands what Harry means when he says it’s different for him. And he’ll gladly take all the differences. 

When Harry carefully maneuvers them to their sides, holding him close, Louis can’t help but reminiscence on the events that led them here. All the plans and determination and curiosity. All the eye rolls and groaning from Zayn and the warnings from Liam. All of those - but also an inexplicable link between him and Harry. A thread between them pulled taut from the moment Harry’s lips first met his two weeks ago. 

And he’s so grateful. So grateful for his own ridiculousness and that Harry always indulged it. So grateful to be here with an alpha gazing at him with so much affection. 

“What’s going on in your pretty little head?” Harry whispers after a moment, thumbing over his cheekbone.

“Have you ever read _Of Mice and Men_ by John Steinbeck?” Louis asks before he can doubt himself, cheeks tinting red. 

Harry looks confused but interested. “Uh, I don’t think so, why?”

“Never mind,” Louis says, shaking his head. “It’s not that important. I was just… thinking.” 

“About what?” Harry murmurs. 

“Just… glad,” he says, blinking sluggishly. “Glad that I have a compulsive need to keep pushing.” 

“M’glad too,” Harry says, dimple popping out. “At least in this situation.” 

“Glad that even though the best laid plans can go very wrong,” Louis whispers, talking mostly to himself, “they sometimes go right.” 

“Huh?” Harry asks. 

“The plans,” Louis says, blushing. “The plans that brought us here. First one was to get you to knot me. The second was to figure out why you were ignoring me. The third was to win you over.”

“I see,” Harry says, eyes soft. “The pun fits too.” 

“What pun?” Louis asks, brows furrowing. 

Harry smirks. “Best _laid_ plans?” 

Louis blinks, and then lunges for the nearest pillow to smack the smug look right off of his face. He hadn’t even thought of it like that - God, Harry’s such a knothead. 

He’s still grinning. 

-

For their first date, Harry takes them to _Angeline’s,_ one of the best restaurants in Berkeley, and in Louis’ opinion, all of California. He’s been there many times before but it’s different with Harry. They have fried chicken and gumbo and Louis smiles more than he thinks possible. He blushes a lot too - blushed when Harry looked him up and down when he first opened the door and then told him very softly that he looked gorgeous, blushed when Harry opened the car door for him to get in and later get out of the vehicle. 

He blushed when Harry couldn’t go five minutes without staring at him with that soft expression on his face, blushed when Harry wiped chocolate off his chin when they had dessert, blushed when he insisted on paying the check and then walked Louis back to the car with a hand on his lower back.

And he was flushed the brightest when Harry drove him back to his dorm and then ate him out on his bed, legs thrown over the alpha’s shoulders and hand slapped over his mouth because otherwise his screams might’ve rang through the entire floor. 

Their second date goes a little different. 

Louis plans it, for one. 

The disgrace of Harry never exploring SF properly must be ended, so Louis takes it upon himself to enlighten him. They go to the California Academy of Sciences and Louis gets Harry an Instagram-worthy shot of a butterfly perching on his finger. They hold hands as they coo at the penguins and Louis elbows Harry in the gut when he dares compare the waddling to Louis’ walk after being knotted. 

They ride the cable cars down the Powell/Hyde line to Ghirardelli Square, stopping to check out the kiosks and stands before they head inside to look through the shop. Louis already has a bag of raspberry dark chocolate squares but Harry’s taking his time, assessing every flavor with brows furrowed as he puts together his combination bag. 

When he finally makes a decision, they go up to the counter and Louis sighs resignedly when Harry inevitably gets into a conversation with the lady behind, Southern drawl in full force as she listens entranced to his drawn-out explanation of their morning. 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Harry says when he finally wraps up, lips curving into that dangerously charming grin. 

There’s a bit of pink on the lady’s cheeks as she smiles back, blinking dazedly. “You’re very welcome,” she says. 

Louis rolls his eyes.

“Wait, do you wanna get ice cream?” Harry asks, gesturing to the back of the shop where people are sitting, nursing giant Sundaes and other grand desserts. 

“Is that a genuine question, Styles?” Louis asks, arching a brow. 

Harry just grins, sliding an arm around his waist as they head towards a free table.

An hour later, after they’ve finished their shared Ocean Beach Sea Salt Caramel Sundae and wiped the ice cream off their chins and their sticky fingers, they leave the Square and walk towards Fisherman’s Wharf, the sun peeking out from the murky cluster of clouds. 

It’s cold but Harry lends Louis his jacket and they cuddle close for warmth. 

They’re standing by the railing and watching the sea lions bark and squeal after eating a late lunch at the market (clam chowder in bread bowls), when Harry curls an arm around his waist and leans in close. “You win,” he murmurs. 

“I know,” Louis says, smugly. “What are we talking about?” 

Harry grins. “Better date.” 

“Oh,” Louis says, “yes, I do.” 

He should have expected that Harry wasn't finished. “But I think I’m the real winner here,” he murmurs after a minute, lips twitching, “because I’ve got you.” 

“I’ll punch you,” Louis threatens, but he sags into Harry’s hold nonetheless, winding his arms around his neck and nuzzling into the fabric of his sweater. 

“You’d break your hand, baby,” Harry drawls, lips twitching against the shell of Louis’ ear, “and that’d break my heart.”

Louis smacks him in the chest. “How does your heart hurt now?” he asks sweetly. 

Harry grabs his hand and kisses his knuckles gently, far too smart than to let Louis annoy him away. 

They end up wandering up and down the pier, browsing through shops and picking out little souvenirs to send to Harry’s family. The sky is burnished gold and hazy pink when they huddle up by the railing to look out at the bay. 

Wind ruffles through their clothes and rings through Louis’ ears, but he feels safe and warm with Harry holding him close. They just stand in silence for a while, basking in each other’s presence and stalling as much as they can. 

It’ll be close to dinner time soon and if they don’t leave within the next little bit, the cafeteria will be closed by the time they get back. However, that’s the least of Louis’ thoughts, feeling content with pheromones wrapping around him like a second embrace. 

“Lou,” Harry murmurs eventually, and he makes a sound of acknowledgment, purring at the feeling of Harry’s hand running through his hair. “Do you wanna go back?” he asks, voice as low as a whisper. 

“Yes,” Louis breathes, nuzzling deeper into Harry’s firm chest. 

“Or stay a little longer?” Harry asks a moment later, palm sliding down to cup his neck, warm and secure. 

“Yes,” Louis echoes, closing his eyes. 

“Are you going to say yes no matter what I say?” Harry asks, sounding amused. 

Louis hums. “Yes.” 

“Wanna have some steak for dinner?” Harry jokes, lips twitching. It’s a reference to an argument they had on the drive, Louis listing all the harmful facts he knew about the production of red meat and its impact on the environment and Harry chuckling and saying he could never give up steak. Louis is very persuasive though, and they both know he always gets what he wants. 

So he pulls back and cocks a hip, channeling his inner Alicia Silverstone. “As if! It's California, not _Texas!”_

Harry’s laugh is entirely worth it. 

-

Louis has the thought at four in the morning.

He’s got a warm alpha wrapped around him, cuddling him close and keeping him safe even in sleep.

Above them, the hand-stuck constellations of Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, Capricorn, Aquarius, Hercules, and Orion glow in the dark. 

The same set of stars plastered to the ceiling of Louis’ dorm room now copied to Harry’s. _So we’re looking up at the same sky,_ he had said happily. He’s such a dork and Louis is hopelessly in love with him.

It hits him like a truck.

He is hopelessly in love with Harry. With only a few weeks left of the semester and around four months spent completely wrapped in each other, Louis has fallen deeper and deeper for the alpha and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Even after dozens of dates - dozens of nights spent entangled in each other’s twin sized beds, trying to squeeze as close as possible to fit, but also just because they want to. Dozens of soft smiles, fond eyes, and tender kisses. After all this time, Harry still makes him feel unsteady. It’s not nervousness, he’s pretty sure - it’s something better. 

It’s the feeling you get when you’re with someone you love, he decides. A feeling that starts in your heart and blooms across your body, flooding from every smile, every laugh, every breath. It’s a feeling he _never_ wants to stop experiencing. 

But, Louis thinks as he smiles softly up at the ceiling while Harry snuffles against his neck, he’s pretty sure he’s got nothing to worry about there. 

In his sleep, Harry presses closer, like he knows Louis is thinking about him. 

He thinks he ought to tell Harry now - tell him about this new realization (though, it doesn’t feel all that new when Louis really thinks about it). Maybe he’ll wait till morning, just after Harry murmurs his usual hoarse, “Good morning, baby,” and presses his hello kiss to Louis’ waiting lips.

Right then. That’s when Louis wants to say it. When they’re both in bed and still wrapped around each other, bodies limp and languid and smiles soft and fond. 

“I love you,” Louis whispers in the dark. Just for practice. It’ll sound so much better in the morning. 

This time he knows for sure. 

It’s a _great_ plan. 

-

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh and it's finished! Fun fact: this was supposed to be around 12k haha. 
> 
> Find me at:
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> 
> Feel free to reach out or say hi! Or send me an ask on [cc](https://curiouscat.me/falsegoodnight) with your thoughts!


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